Percy Jackson and the gift of Aphrodite
by Bleedthegreyskyblack
Summary: Right before Percy was to answer Zeus' regarding his gift of immortality Aphrodite interrupts to give a gift to Percy that could affect everything he thought, felt, and believed in. Rating may change.
1. The Gift

Author's Note: I do not own anything Percy Jackson. Just playing around. I borrowed a few quotes from the books to set the scene. I'm sure you'll recognize them if you read the books enough. Thanks for your interest!

I was standing in the throne room and I could hear the words coming from Zeus. I could be a god. Even Athena agreed. At this point, I wasn't even sure if I was dreaming so I paused and glanced back at Annabeth who wasn't looking at me. I flashed back to two years ago when I thought she was going to pledge to Artemis, and I freaked out thinking I'd lose her too. And that was how she was looked now. I was distracted from my thoughts by an unlikely goddess, Aphrodite.

"I would like to bestow a small token of my appreciation to Percy before he makes his answer," Aphrodite said to Zeus as she motioned to me. He eyed her critically and paused slightly before giving her a slight nod of approval.

She stood from her throne and shrank in size as she walked and stepped in front of me. Aphrodite gently reached out and touched my cheek softly. "The fates are sometimes cruel. No, not the prophecy." She said shaking her head lightly as I thought about the oracle's many messages to me. "Sometimes they take things away that you don't even realize. Like the joy of what your first love _should_ have been." Aphrodite placed her other hand on my cheek and pulled me in for a light kiss.

But, a kiss isn't what I felt. When my eyes opened I wasn't in Olympus, but back at the airfield with Zoe laying on the ground.

"It's my fault," Thalia said. "You were right about Luke, about heroes, men-everything."

"Perhaps not all men," Zoe murmured. She smiled weakly at me. "So you still have the sword, Percy?" I brought out Riptide and put the pen in her hand. She grasped it contentedly. "You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like…like Hercules. I am honored that you carry this sword."

My vision started blurring into white fog and I heard Aphrodite's voice. "It took over two thousand years before she found a man worthy of her sword, meaning, worthy of her. She would have been your first true love, but not your greatest. And that's what your first love is meant for, to get you ready for something even bigger. Better. It's like all the training on small quests you went on until you were ready for your destiny. Originally, she would have perished here on Olympus with you fighting Kronus but the fates seemed determined to switch it up, or something happened to force them too. But, this is what it would have been like.

The fog cleared around me and I saw us all back at the airport. However, Annabeth's dad had ambrosia and nectar in his hands as he told us about the bullets he forged out of her weapons she left behind. I grabbed it and rushed it over to Zoe. It didn't cure her 100% but healed her enough for Apollo to arrive and take her back to his temple.

"I must go to Olympus immediately," Artemis said. "I will not be able to take you, but I will send help."

"Take me. Zoe shouldn't be alone." I said firmly.

Artemis frowned. "You did well," she said. "For a man. Come." She told me as she got back on her chariot.

I followed her on and held to the front as she grabbed the reins.

She landed in Olympus, but not in the throne room. We were in a park. "Follow that road down until you see a white marble building with an engraved sun above the doorway. We will come and get you when you are needed." She said. Artemis paused as if she was going to say something else, but changed her mind and walked away instead.

I followed the street down a few blocks and saw Apollo's temple on the left side. I made my way over. There was nobody when I walked in, but I easily followed the sound of urgent voices. Apollo was there beaming what looked like straight sunlight into Zoe. I dropped to my knees thinking she wasn't going to make it. It was like I had to watch her die all over again. One of Apollo's attendants came and took my tears into a glass vile and ran to pour them on her wounds as Apollo still did his thing. Where my tears were poured steam appeared in the colors of the rainbow. Her back arched off the table and Apollo stopped his light show grinning. He turned to me and nodded once telling me to get up. I did and I made my way reluctantly over to Zoe afraid this was just a dream. The tears didn't stop until she turned to me and frowned. Seriously, what is up with all the frowning the Hunters do?

"I should just leave," I mumbled and turned around.

"No!" She called out as she grabbed my arm.

I faced her and there was no frown on her face, but confusion.

"Do not leave me." She said quietly looking at her hand still on my arm.

"You didn't look like you wanted me here," I said looking at her bare toes. Basically, anywhere else to avoid her eyes.

"I expected milady, and not you," Zoe said.

"She had to go to the throne room," I said. "I didn't think you should be alone."

"Speaking of which, I must go too. Holler if you need anything and my priestess will come." Apollo said and winked at me before he disappeared in a flash.

I sat down on the stool next to the white marble table. Zoe still hadn't released my arm.

"How are you feeling?" I asked feeling lame and awkward.

"Why did you come?" She persisted.

"None of the other Hunters were there and I didn't want you to be alone," I said looking at my own feet this time.

"Why?" Zoe questioned again, but this time squeezing my arm.

"I was scared you were going to die," I whispered. "We just started getting along, and I didn't get to tell you…" I trailed off.

She didn't say anything but slid her hand down to mine and squeezed prompting me to continue.

"You told me that you were proud that I carried Anaklusmos. I didn't get to tell you that I was proud to carry your sword. You are the most honest and upfront person I have met. Since I was told I was a demigod I realized how many people hid things from me, or only tell me part of the story, but you haven't." I said honestly.

"Did you know that some call it a 'cursed blade with a tragic past?'" She said relinquishing my hand. My own felt more than empty, hollow.

I nodded in response.

"Do you remember when I told you I used to sit with Ladon and feed him by myself? That is because the Hesperides are only my half-sisters. Their mother was Hesperis and my mother is Pleione. I went there to serve my father Atlas when he told my mother that I had to come. He had heard about a prophecy of Zeus' child that had yet to be born, and he wanted another there that had a bit more brains. But I was an outcast and looked down upon by Atlas' ilk. When Hercules came it was as if he held the answers to all my problems. I fell for him, deeply. He said would take me with him if I helped him. I wanted to help him. I thought he cared for me as I cared for him. As you know, I was wrong. And I paid a steep price for it. If it wasn't for milady, I don't know what would have become of me. But the sword was tinged, or you could say cursed, by my heartbreak and pain because when Hercules took the sword he took a part of me. From what I hear the sword had some bad luck attached to it. I think it is because they weren't worthy of a part of me just as Hercules wasn't." Zoe said.

"But I'm worthy?" I asked astounded as I looked at her.

She didn't answer but nodded as she looked away from me and around the room.

I grabbed her hand. "Thank you," I said as she turned and looked at me. "Nobody has ever said anything like that to me before."

"If I may be so bold, I thought Annabeth would have. You did follow us just to rescue her." Zoe said taking back her hand.

"She is in love with Luke," I said downcast, but not as heartbroken as I thought I should have been. Zoe's death scare really puts things into perspective. "I thought it would hurt more," I said equally as honest as she had been.

"She isn't as smart as a daughter of Athena should be. And to think, we offered that foolish girl a place in the hunt." She scoffed with a smile playing on her lips.

I chuckled at her attempt to cheer me up.

"I owe you for your help on the mountain. I would have been dead if it weren't for you. If there is anything I can do, then please, do not hesitate to claim it." I said seriously.

We were interrupted by the arrival of Artemis and Apollo.

"Come. You are wanted in the throne room." Artemis said expressionlessly.

Her and Apollo each stuck out their right hand. I looked at Artemis as I stuck my hand up to aide Zoe off the table. Her eyebrows rose as Zoe took it and I swung around when I felt that she would stumble and stuck my other hand under her armpit to stabilize her. Once she regained her bearings I didn't look back at Artemis but at Apollo. I won't lie. I was afraid of what I would have seen should I look at her. Apollo gestured to my tear stained face and I tried to rub it, but I knew I probably made it worse. I took his hand and in a flash of light we were behind Annabeth, Thalia, and Grover.

The gods were highly emotional between wanting to punish us, and kill Bessie. Lady Artemis spoke with Zeus and Thalia left us to join the Hunt. Zoe didn't seem to react to it in any way. She didn't even move a muscle until Zeus didn't look like he was swayed by my Father, Poseidon, vouching for me. Lady Athena and Ares wanted me dead, which honestly was no shock to me. But Lady Artemis looked livid saying I should be rewarded and Zoe's fist clenched and she sucked in air angrily. Lady Artemis turned and was shocked at Zoe's reaction and spoke without thought of anything but Zoe. "I will vouch for the boy. If he is indeed to be the child of the Prophecy then he needs further tutelage. He can accompany the hunt until the summer in which he will return to Camp Half-Blood and I _will_ give a _full_ report to you." She said eying Zeus daring him to not agree. She was firmly in Zeus' camp and he knew that it was as good as being under his eye while being out of reach of Poseidon.

My mouth dropped as did Zoe's. No man has ever accompanied the hunt, even on a temporary basis. The whole throne room was silent. Even Lady Artemis was shocked by her offer but stood her ground.

"Do you know what you are saying?" Zeus questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes." She said firmly. "You want to make sure the prophecy goes in your favor and that Percy does not stray. What better person than I to make sure that he is at the level of skill and loyalty that you require?"

"I say we put this to a vote," Zeus stated as he kept his eyes on Lady Artemis. "All in favor?" Most seemed in favor which was a good thing I guessed.

My father raised his hand and said seriously, "I'll be watching."

"As will I," Aphrodite said with a perverse smile as she raised her hand.

At least Hermes and Apollo were silent but smiled at me. I wasn't blind to Ares, Athena, and Mr. D who all wanted me dead.

"Then so be it," Zeus said before using his lightning rod like a javelin in court.

Lady Artemis told Zoe, Thalia and me to go back to Apollo's temple to get checked out before we left Olympus. When I left I saw Poseidon making his way over to her.

"Come kiddos, don't be nosy," Apollo said ushering us out the throne room and leading the way.

Once back at the temple we were fed some nectar and ambrosia for all our battle wounds. Apollo then led us to get showered and changed. When I got out of the shower I saw clean clothes laid out for me. A Hunter's uniform. Once outside I saw that Zoe and Thalia were wearing the same as me except I noticed that my sleeves had a long thick black stripe.

"One does not know what to think," Zoe said eying me critically.

"That makes two of us." I chuckled.

"I'm glad you are going with me kelp head," Thalia said nervously as she pulled her sleeves down over her wrists more.

Zoe frowned. Whatever thoughts were running through her head obviously displeased her.

"Are you all ready to depart?" Artemis came back.

"Let me have a moment with Percy," Apollo said. "I'll meet you at the camp with him."

Artemis nodded and led the two girls out as she frowned at me.

"Don't worry about her." Apollo chuckled. "A male has never worn that uniform. I take that back. You should be afraid. I have seen you with a bow."

"Come on!" I said looking at the ceiling.

"Can you keep a secret?" He asked seriously.

"Yeah," I said curiously as I looked back at him once more.

"Good." He said and slammed his palm against my chest and the other held me in place at the shoulder. "I, the awesome Apollo, bestow upon you, Perseus Jackson, my blessing of an arrow's true sight." With that, a heat as intense as the sun shot into my heart.

I collapsed, but he steadied me and then lowered me to the floor. 

"What was that?!" I asked winded.

He stood up and looked down at me seriously. "Your secret to keep. My sister has never vouched for a man. So you must be worth it. She is going to be tough and relentless. But no matter what, you will treat my sister with the respect that she deserves. Or I will rip my blessing and everything else in you apart. Do you understand?"

I could only merely nod and turn my head as he began to rise back to his true god self.

"I knew you wouldn't disappoint me, but I still will be watching. Now, let's get you back to camp. I do have duties to attend to besides to you demigods." Apollo said as he pulled me up and headed towards the back of the temple where his sports car was waiting.

Should I continue?


	2. Welcome to the Hunt

Author's Note: To the reviewers - Aphrodite is showing Percy the first love he was meant to have that the Fates took away. Just wait for it...I really don't think you will be disappointed with where this is all going. Go re-read chapter one and see if you can guess I threw in a subtle hint (Don't review your guess though!)

Apollo got me to camp in the most obnoxious way. As he was raising the sun he actually threw me out of the car and into the water. I could hear him laughing as I fell. But, I suppose it could have been worse. When I hit the water I found out I wasn't alone.

"I really hope he knew you were down here when he pushed," I said shocked.

Poseidon grinned and came in for a quick hug. "I didn't get to say anything to you in Olympus. Are you okay?"  
I nodded before he continued.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay with going with Artemis. I do have my concerns, but I really think this is a good thing for you." He said eying my reaction.

"I'm nervous about it, but kind of excited. No other male has got to do this before, right?" I asked.

He shook his head no. "Just…play nice despite what the girls may do to you." He sniffed the air in the bubble. "You smell different."

"Um," I said.

"Like…sunshine." He said suspiciously.

I blinked. I didn't know what to say. I didn't expect to get called out on my secret so soon afterward.

"You know, Lady Artemis won't like that." He mimicked the same move Apollo did. "I, Poseidon, give my son Perseus, the gift of water teleportation."

When the blast hit my chest it didn't overwhelm me like Apollos did. I felt powerful, infused, and refreshed.

"Don't tell Triton if you ever meet him." He said cheekily. "I really am proud of you, and I know you will do the right thing when the time comes. I have faith in you."

"Thanks, dad!" I said honestly.

"Don't forget some of that venison comes to me. I haven't had any in a long time." He laughed before he left the bubble.

"Of course," I said as I made my way to the shore.

Lady Artemis had her arms crossed and was tapping her foot on the shore when I walked out. She looked less than impressed.

"I already spoke with the Hunters. Grab your stuff. We are ready to go." She didn't wait for a response but walked back towards the cabins.

I made my way back to my cabin. I iris messaged my mom to let her know what was going on. She didn't look impressed, but slightly worried about me camping with a bunch of girls. I assured her that I was with maiden girls that made an oath. She wasn't so nervous then but laughed. She told me more parents wished their teenagers were in a commune. I didn't find it as funny as she did. I told her I'd message when I could.

"What took you so long? Lady Artemis has been ready to leave for over an hour." Zoe said when I joined the group.

"I had to let me mom know where I was going and when I'd be back," I told her. "I didn't want her to worry."

"That was…considerate of you," Zoe said before she made her way back to the Clarisse of the group, Phoebe, who eyed him in contempt.

Lady Artemis led the way into the forest on a wolf driven chariot while the rest of us ran to keep up. It looked like she was going to run right into Zeus' fist but a tunnel of black, white and grey lights opened up and we ran through it into another forest with even bigger trees and it was not yet dawn here.

She got off her wolf chariot and yelled for us to set up camp while she scouted. I was confused and I didn't have a pack like the rest of the girls did. Naturally, I walked over to Zoe who was explaining what everything in the back bag was and what to do with it.

"Zoe?" I questioned before she got any further and I missed something really important.

She didn't answer but looked at me.

"I wasn't given a bag," I said frowning. Not even an hour with these girls and I was already frowning…

She got up and went and took one off the front of the chariot and tossed it to me. For the size, I was expecting it to be a lot heavier.

I followed Zoe back to Thalia and she repeated what the pieces were from my bag this time. "The dodecahedron (the Pentagon version of the cube) is the tent. All you have to do is throw it down where you want to set it up."

A big silver tent complete with zipper doors and windows popped up. When I walked in it had various fur blankets and rugs and a white dresser and matching bed. There was also a stainless steel table against the far side. I didn't know what for, but I guess we could sharpen our man-killing weapons or skin a fox for a pillow sham.

"Now, when it is time to break camp, just pull here," Zoe said as she pulled a tassel hanging from the top center of the tent. Before I blinked we were back outside and the tent was back into its original shape in Zoe's hand. "Here Percy." She said tossing it to me. Of course I had to miss and it tumbled to the ground. The tent sprouted up around me and I was back inside lying on the fur rug.

"Real funny!" I laughed at Zoe as I walked back out to go over the rest of the stuff in the pack. She was laughing at me with light in her eyes but it disappeared quickly when Phoebe started glaring at her from my side.

"Do you need any help lieutenant?" She asked firmly.

"I got the newcomers. You can send two out for dinner, choose another two to prep, and you can prepare Lady Artemis' tent." Zoe said expressionlessly. Phoebe's eyes went wide in shock. I didn't realize why at the time, but later, I would find out that setting the Lady's tent was a huge honor that normally went to the lieutenant.

There were some pretty cool things in the bag. Sleeping bags the size of a roll of quarters that were climate controlled to protect against even the harshest of cold temperatures or by keeping us from sweltering in the heat based off our body's temperatures and signals, such as sweat or shivering. There were empty bladders of water that would swell and shrink depending on how much water was inside. There was really a wide variety of other cool spins on wilderness survival.

"How do we wash our clothes out here?" I asked curiously.

"One of the duties we have is to use the animal fat from animals we eat to make soap and we wash them in the creek." Zoe shrugged. "It is in our armory as is anything else that you might need and the lady allows. Obviously, any gadgets that require electricity won't be found out here because we don't need it to survive and at times they can hinder us."

Thalia lost the last several years of her life and didn't realize how much has changed. I remember the shock I got at Camp Half-Blood the first time. If it wasn't from getting used to it there I don't think I'd made it through the weekend here.

"How long does it normally take the others to get used to that?" I asked curiously.

Zoe frowned. "It's harder now for the girls than when I first joined milady." She acknowledged.

I nodded in understanding.

"So, what duties will we have?" Thalia asked.

"We rotate to keep things fair. Everybody has certain meals they are responsible for. Some for catching and gathering, some for prepping, and the others for clean up afterward. We rotate laundry. Normally, Lady Artemis will give laundry as a punishment. We all sharpen blades and arrows together after training every week or so, depending on when its needed. Other than that we just try not to impact the area we are in too much. We only burn wood that is dead or fallen. We don't kill more than we eat or from a scarce animal in the area. Lady Artemis will assign each of you a Hunter to follow around until you get the hang of it." She explained as she began walking around inspecting the camp.

"She will be quite pleased with the view you have given her." Zoe complimented Phoebe.

"Thank you for the honor," Phoebe said appreciatively.

"You earned it," Zoe said before she kept walking. "The biggest tent here," She gestured, "is the armory and that over there is our dining quarters. And over there is where will practice." There were numerous archery targets and a circle outlined in sand.

"Zoe. I take it you got the newcomers settled in." Artemis said.

"Yes milady. And I showed them around." She answered.

"Come Percy. I want to speak in private before we begin the day here." She said leading him to the tent Phoebe erected for her.

The inside of her tent was over twice the size of ours.

I waited until she invited me to sit before I did so.

"Good manners. I think this just might work." She said nodding once to herself. "I do have a few ground rules I am sure you will understand. No bathing with the other girls. Do not enter their tents. Period. Treat them with the respect they deserve. I know how they can be towards males. I do not want you handling this on your own if they go too far. You will let me know if they disobey my orders. Do you understand?" She said eying me.

"I understand milady and I thank you for speaking up on my behalf," I said hoping I didn't let my parents down in the manners and respect department.

"You smell different." She stated.

"Why do people keep telling me that?" I asked curiously.

She shrugged. "Must be your healing. Zoe has smelled off since being in that temple as well. Now, today you will all have free time until after lunch and then we will begin training. I will partner you up with Zoe since I know that she will tolerate you better than anyone else here given your history together. Do not think I am blind. I see Zoe has been different since she has gone on that quest with you." She said with a raised eyebrow. "I am trusting you to do right by Zoe. And by training. The weight of Olympus is on your shoulders and I expect you to take it seriously. Do you understand man?"

"I understand that you are trusting, me, a male. I will try my hardest to show you that it wasn't misplaced. And if I fail you, just know, it wasn't intentional." I said bowing my head once.

"I don't think you will," Artemis said with a frown. "But by succeeding, I will lose. You are dismissed."

I took my leave quickly not liking where that conversation was headed. For me to succeed in her trust, she loses? That sounded harsher than how Athena voted.

Camp life was easy to get used to, even if the training was hard. Zoe was a strict instructor and unyielding. She eyed my archery very critically and raised an eyebrow saying she was expecting a lot worse from what she heard. I grinned in fear, but she didn't push the subject. Sometimes though she had me miss meals to keep drilling if she didn't think I was trying hard enough. She really liked pushing me past my comfort zone and had me training with weapons other than Riptide.

Other times, it was like she was my best friend. I loved laying down next to a lake looking at the stars that she began explaining to me. She still didn't let me live down my bear comment about Ursa Major. I really liked the stories and soon, I could identify a few that she told me about without her help. She said that our supposed education was lacking to her standards. I explained to her that not many navigated by stars anymore and she called society fools.

Living in the camp I can see how she thought that way. It was simpler. I would like to say less drama, but some of those girls…Even without guys involved, there was still drama at times. And it seemed a lot stemmed from Phoebe. Thalia was trying to fit in, and she did to a degree. She was still new and some of the girls didn't appreciate her sarcasm or sense of humor. But she still fit in better than I did anyway. I really only had Zoe, Thalia, and occasionally Lady Artemis. I'd take being shunned over being ostracized by the Hunters any day of the week. Overall, I'd say I was quite happy. Definitely better than another year of middle school.

But happiness only lasted for about a month before I realized my feelings for Zoe weren't going to go well with the other Hunters and Lady Artemis. At times I'd jump if I thought she was sitting to close to me for no reason at all. One time she even asked me if I thought she was a leper and asked why I was being so weird. One time Lady Artemis caught me and laughed as she walked away. It was as if she knew how uncomfortable I was, and was taking pleasure in it. I tried to ignore it, but when the moonlight caught Zoe's hair while we were on patrol together I just had a desire to take her hair out of the braid and run my fingers through it.

Lady Artemis had enough though when I didn't have the heart to put my all into the fights anymore.

"No!" Artemis yelled. "Zoe step out of the circle." All the other Hunters stopped their training and came to watch as Artemis stepped in pulling two knives out of the sheaths on her thighs.

Zoe looked nervous as she did so.

"Try to subdue me or leave." Artemis seethed at me with silver eyes.

I looked once at Zoe and saw her nervousness and fear over the statement. It steeled my resolve and I went in for the attack. Back and forth we went. For how long I didn't know. I do know before my time with the Hunters I never would have lasted as long. This wasn't like fighting Ares at all. All the endurance training and strengthening really paid off. Just when I thought I had her she dropped to the ground and pushed off sliding under me and swiped my inner thighs with her knives. I didn't howl from the pain I felt but clenched my teeth and ducked and turned. My blades sparked off hers from the amount of force we were both using.

"How will you beat Kronus if you can't take me." She sneered.

I was getting agitated at her baiting, but it didn't strike home until Artemis said with a raised eyebrow, "What woman would want you?"

My anger built as the skies began to darken and storm almost instantaneously as the lake nearby began to get choppy.

"Did I strike a nerve?" She taunted. "Or did I strike something else." She said gesturing with her head to the blood I felt going down my legs.

I didn't respond, but when the rain started it was as if I had Thalia's powers. When I went to strike with my knives it was as if lightening came off my blades and though they themselves didn't make contact, the lightning did. Artemis got thrown out of the circle and the girls surrounding her caught her before she hit the ground. They laid the unconscious god down and looked at me in disbelief. Even Zoe didn't move. I didn't know what to do, I knocked out a god.

"Apollo!" I yelled to the sky after a moment and Artemis still hadn't come to.

With a flash, Apollo arrived worriedly. The Hunters cleared the way for the sun god. "Artemis!" He called as he saw her on the ground. He lifted his sister and demanded to know what happened.

"She told me to fight her. She said to try to subdue her or leave." I said guiltily.

"Grab my arm." He said expressionlessly.

Once I took hold we were gone and back to his temple.


	3. A place to hide

Apollo carried Artemis to the same table as Zoe laid on. He didn't burst light directly into her. He yelled for nectar and ambrosia instead. Gently, he climbed up on the table and sat her up against his chest and slowly gave her sips of nectar until she responded. Then he fed her a liberal amount of ambrosia that would have killed any demigod. When she raised her hand to stop him he put the food on the stool that I had sat on with Zoe. It all seemed like such a lifetime ago.

Artemis sat up on her own and let her legs fall over the side of the table and looked at me warily. Apollo followed her position and sat in silence while the thoughts raced through her mind.

"Thank you." She said looking at Apollo finally. "Do you think you could get Poseidon and I will tell you both what occurred?" She asked tiredly.

"Are you sure you are okay, sister?" He asked concerned before he glared at me.

"Don't take this out on Percy. I will tell all when you retrieve his dad." She said shaking her head slowly.

He stood and departed leaving me alone with Artemis.

"I'm sor-" I said before I was cut off.

"Don't Percy. I shouldn't have said what I said to push you. I didn't realize the true extent of your feelings. I am as much, if not more, to blame than you. Have you ever even done that before?" She asked curiously.

I merely shook my head no vigorously when my dad and Apollo returned.

"What is going on?" Poseidon asked as made his way to me inspecting for damage. My legs were done bleeding, but all the dried blood was fully visible.

Artemis stood and faced the white marble wall, and after making a weird hand symbol and pushing them to the wall we were watching the fight from Artemis viewpoint. Up until she was rendered unconscious that is. Poseidon gasped at the lightning as did Apollo.

"Perseus, did you know you could do that?" He asked shocked.

"I've never done that before. I've never affected the weather either. I just got so mad. How she told me I had to fight or leave, what she said, and I didn't want to disappoint Artemis, or you, or…" I trailed off still in shock.

"Who is this girl that you looked at after she, nevermind," Poseidon said shaking his head once. "You called me here." My dad said a bit frostily.

Artemis didn't seem shocked. "I cannot develop that. Only two people on earth could. Well, I want to say one. My dad doesn't have Aqua-electrokinesis. And, I don't think….it wise…to ask." She whispered at the end.

My dad was shocked at Artemis trying to keep this quiet.

"If he has this ability then, Olympus needs it to be developed…discreetly." Apollo chimed.

My dad nodded once and looked at me. "What else is hiding in you?" He asked rhetorically.

"Any ideas?" Artemis asked. "Remember, he is to be traveling with the hunters and I can't be made a liar."

"Poseidon is the son of a water god. He needs to train near water." Apollo said obviously.

Artemis looked at him like he was an absolute idiot.

"Ogygia. I was told that nobody looks at Ogygia." I said.

"What would my hunters do in Ogygia?" Artemis asked.

"It's perfect." My dad grinned. "One week and go from there. Let's see what we have to work with."

Part of me was ecstatic. I finally got to spend time and train with my dad. Even if it was in secret I was still beyond excited and they all could read me like an open book.

"I didn't say he would be with me, or all the Hunters," Artemis said slowly.

"I'll stay until you come." Apollo offered.

"Zoe will go," Artemis said firmly.

"Are you sure that is wise?" Apollo said rubbing the back of his neck.

"I have no choice in this. Even I see her destiny. Zeus will not be looking for Zoe. He will be watching for Thalia." She said resolved and in acceptance. "Remember my words man," Artemis said firmly.

"I know." I nodded once.

"Take Percy now, and I will meet you there after the girls are in their tents for the night. Zoe will bring your things." Artemis said before she quickly departed.

"So…someone finally got my sister on her back?" Apollo chuckled awkwardly. Poseidon boomed a laugh before I nervously chuckled. "You two go ahead. I will meet you there after my duties in the morning. Nothing like dad and son bonding, right?"

"Thank you, Apollo," Poseidon said clasping both his hands with Apollo's one.

With that, my dad pointed his trident at the ground and water ran down the floor of the hallway until only a single puddle remained on the ground. "You are going to hang on to me the first time. When we walk into the puddle think the east beach of Ogygia." I grabbed onto his arm and stepped into the puddle.

It was weird I stepped down into the water and fell but ended coming up the water in the shallows of the east beach. I was in the same spot that I took off from when I left Calypso the first time. My dad raised a hand to stop whoever was coming over. I turned and saw that it was Calypso. She nodded once and turned and went back into the house. I tried to wave, but her back was already turned.

"So Percy. First, get back in the water and get all that dried blood washed off." He told me.

When I came back out I felt invigorated and excited to start with whatever Poseidon wanted to start with. I didn't say a word but tried to wait patiently.

He turned to face the sea and I did the same.

"Let's start with the basics. Divert the water from our feet." He said.

Each time the waves worked their way up the shore I made it stay a couple inches in front of our feet and divert it to the sides.

"Okay. Now make a wave over five feet tall crash onto the beach and keep us dry." Poseidon said.

I felt for the familiar tug and I started the waves at a foot, then two, and after a moment a larger wave crashed around us but not onto us.

"I see. Follow me." Dad said expressionlessly as he began to walk on water. Literally, he walked on the water. By the time I closed my mouth he was already twenty feet out.

It took a least ten tries to get myself more than a couple feet off the beach before I started making progress. He kept walking towards some jutted out rocks about a hundred feet away, and he didn't glance back once. About twenty feet from the coast I was getting the hang of it. I started to pick up my pace to catch up until I was in a full out run. I was exhilarated. I, Pery Jackson, was running on water. And then I stumbled over a wave and then a few feet from the jutted out rock I went into the water. Even under the water, I could hear my dad laughing above. A few seconds later my dad's hand was in the water and pulled me back out and on top of the water with him.

I could see in his eyes he was proud, even if he didn't say anything. "Now, I want you to jump in the water and imagine us back on the beach over there." He said. "Make sure you think very clearly. I'm going to hold onto you this time around. There is no telling where you could end up." Dad said.

We jumped and splashed back into the water. When we rose we were about fifty feet north closer to the house than I was supposed to be aiming.

"Close. At least you kept me on the same beach." He said nodding approval. "Concentrate harder next time."

I nodded my understanding.

"Okay. Now, I'm going to want you to try a few things. I don't know if you will be able to do any if at all, but we need to get a gauge of your abilities." My dad said bracing me for the possibility of my limitations as a demigod.

I nodded again still unsure of how to talk to my dad.

My dad took both arms and moved them to his right side and swung them up in front of him and then brought them down fast. I felt a wind and then I saw a twenty-foot wave crash down on the jutted rocks we just left.

I let out a breath and tried to copy him thinking exactly what I just saw. But nothing happened. "Again." And nothing happened. "Again."

Nothing happened until the tenth time when I could feel the wind I created, but not the crash like he had.

"Practice that." He said happily. "You only ever really used the water while you are in it. It is completely different standing here and with a target that far away."

For hours he kept me busy trying different ways to control the water. Some were easier than others. Some he told me to practice. I wondered how long I'd have to make a whirlpool. Even I doubted I'd be able to do the last one, and I think he felt the same, but I was still determined to try once I got the others under my belt. It was a wall of water that ran itself towards the jutted rock and broke it in half.

Calypso came down to the beach with a plate and a drink at this point determined I eat before we carried on. My dad didn't eat but sat next to me while I did.

"Thanks, dad," I whispered as I looked at the water.

"I wish things were different and we could have done this while you were growing up." He said just as quiet.

"I have you right now, and that's what counts," I said smiling.

"Come. I want to show you two more things to work on while I am gone." He said to me and then he noticed the frown. "I will be back tomorrow morning. I can't let others get too suspicious about where I am at." He bent down and scooped a handful of water into both his hands and stood back up. He turned and faced me. Dad pointed down at his hands with his head and I looked. It began to crystallize until it was a solid block of ice. He then opened up his hands and let it fall to the beach.

"Wow," I said impressed.

"If you can master this then I can show you how to freeze water into shapes for weapons, like a spear." He said grinning. "Honestly, Percy, I don't know how much of this you could master, but I need you to try to see what we are dealing with. I've never had a child, demi-god, or not who could control the weather like you did." He said as he pointed to the sky and the same thing I did against Artemis appeared. "I don't do the lightening part often. I'm sure you can imagine how your uncle would react." He said stressing the point.

"I understand dad," I said meekly.

"I'm going to go now. Artemis and the Hunter should be here soon." He said looking back at the sun setting over the ocean.

"Zoe," I said clearly.

"Excuse me?" He asked turning back around.

"Her name is Zoe," I said a bit louder.

He nodded once. "I find it fitting that you care for the forger of the blade that you carry. Do me a favor when I leave? Don't go speak with Calypso until Zoe and Artemis arrive."

"Of course," I answered.

With that, my dad went into the water and was gone as quickly as I could blink. The sun had just finished setting. I moved into the water and tried to practice the things my dad showed me. I figured if I was in the water then Calypso would be less likely to come out. I worked on all the smaller things while I waited. I made some headway, but not enough in my mind. When I finally noticed Artemis and Zoe on the beach I was walking on water in paths laid made by the way.

"Quit showing off and get over here," Artemis called.

I ran across the water towards them not falling once if I may say so myself.

Zoe's eyebrows raised in disbelief but she remained silent.

"I trust your father gave you some things to practice." She said.

"More than enough actually," I said rubbing the back of my head.

"I'd really prefer it if you set up your tents down that way and keep contact with Calypso to a minimum for obvious reasons," Artemis said with a frown. "Zoe has enough food to last you the week. And Apollo will be by in the morning to check on you and see if you need anything. I'll be back in a few days myself to check on your progress. Man…do not let me regret this."

"Of course, milady," I said with a slight bow. I really did have every reason to thank and respect her now. She gave me my dad, even if for a small time.

"Zoe." She said. "Be happy. Be safe." She leaned into her and kissed her cheek while Zoe did the same as well.

"Thank you milady." She said respectively and bowed her head as well.

Once Artemis left Zoe and I set up our tents further down the beach away from Calypso.

"So, this is Calypso's prison," I said stating the obvious. "More like a vacation resort."

"Yes, my half-sister got lucky." She breathed out as she started a fire on the beach.

I don't think I hid my shock well.

"She was guilty of helping our father, Atlas. But, really, she is just a silly girl doing what her father told her. She lives in the clouds. I swear that the fates gave me all the brains, and there wasn't enough left to go around." She said taking a seat in front of the fire.

"She didn't seem evil. She even brought me dinner earlier." I said shrugging.

"I'm sure she did. She bathes, feeds, and shares her bed with every passing male." Zoe said distastefully.

"I'm sure it can't be that bad. She must be lonely. How long as has she been here?" I asked curiously.

"A lot longer than the gods said she would be." She mumbled.

I could tell Zoe didn't want to talk any further about it. "Do you always wear your coat?"

"No." She said frowning. "Why?"

"Take it off and come on," I said with a smile. I stood up and stuck out my hand.

"Why?" She asked again.

"Come on Zoe! Trust me! It will be awesome!" I said trying to impersonate Apollo at the end.

Reluctantly she chuckled and stood. She unzipped her coat and took my hand. I led her to the where the high tide was lapping at our feet. And I stepped out pulling her hand.

"Percy!" She said as I tugged harder and started to run.

"Don't let go!" I called out laughing.

I slowed down and let her follow me around, over, and in between the waves.

"This is awesome Percy." She said smiling at me.

And at that moment, with the moon shining down once more, I could easily think her the goddess of the moon.


	4. You have to mean it

I awoke in the morning to Zoe arguing with Calypso on the beach.

"You have no reason to be here." She said firmly.

"I was just bringing you both breakfast," Calypso said.

I stepped out of the tent quickly. "Thank you, Calypso. That was very nice of you, wasn't it Zoe?" I said prompting her to accept gracefully.

Zoe didn't say a word but stormed away down the beach even further from the campsite.

"I'll be back, and thank you again!" I told Calypso before I ran after Zoe.

Zoe was pacing circles when I caught up with her. "Why did you leave?" I asked.

"Cause I would have thought you would want to be alone with that, that!" She huffed angrily.

"Did I miss something?" I asked.

She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "You do know who that was, right?" She asked sardonically.

"Calypso. This is her prison, right?" I asked stating the obvious, but I was definitely not winning any brownie points with Zoe.

"Yes." She said tightly.

"Come on Zoe. Just tell me what I'm missing." I said bluntly. "Because I sure as Hades don't understand."

"That is my half-sister. She is here because she served Atlas, you know, my father who tried to kill me." She said. I could tell that wasn't all of it.

"And," I said calling her bluff.

"And." She said plopping herself onto a piece of driftwood. I sat next to her in silence waiting for her to continue on her own terms. I didn't become as close to her as I was by not picking up a thing or two on her personality.

"And she lays with every male hero or mortal who comes onto the island." She said quietly.

"I'm a 15-year-old male and while I do feel things that you obviously don't, it doesn't mean I would act on them with any random girl I come across," I said a bit huffily.

"You're wrong." She said looking away from me.

"No. I know myself. I wouldn't just give myself away to a stranger that I don't love." I said standing and walking back.

"I feel those things you do too." I heard her say softly. I don't think I was meant to hear it. It was as if the winds were bringing me her words.

Try as I might to ignore the words, I couldn't. So when I got to the abandoned basket I picked it up and brought it back to where Zoe sat obviously sad. I ignored her expression and sat down in the sand and began to unpack the food for us to share.

"Are you joining me?" I asked her softly.

She didn't say a word but sat down next to me and started to eat a few of the fresh fruits.

"Once I'm done eating I was going to practice before my dad showed up. What are you going to get into?" I asked.

Zoe merely shrugged and ate as she looked at the ocean.

I sat there in resolved silence until she deemed fit to break it. I won't lie, I was a bit disappointed when the food was all gone, and the dishes disappeared just like yesterday, and she still didn't say anything.

I stood and sighed deeply as I made my way to the water. I waited until the water receded and walked forwards a bit more. I concentrated on the water not hitting my toes like I did yesterday. From there I made bigger waves and diverted the choppier waters away from me. It was easier than yesterday and I had them about ten feet high. Twice the size of yesterdays. I could feel that connection to the water stronger than ever. I could feel the air shifting on the water as the water changed from the peaceful tides to the more powerful waves. Part of me wondered if it was the water affecting the air or the air affecting the water, or if it was a combination of both. Feeling experimental I moved both my arms to the right as I looked at the broken jutted rocks I worked with yesterday. I imagined one arm was the wind and the other the water. I swung my arms up and then slammed them down in front of me. And it worked! It wasn't anywhere as big as my dad's yesterday, but I at least made some water end up on the rocks.

"Zoe!" I called out. I turned my head, but she was standing only three feet behind me. I didn't even hear her approach.

"Did you see that?" I grinned.

Despite whatever was going through her head, she seemed happy for me. "Do it again." She encouraged as she stepped even closer to me. "But, feel it here." She said as her left hand rested where my heart was.

"Feel the pull. Feel the love you have for the ocean. The connection. Concentrate as if the water was you." She whispered into my right ear.

She stepped back. And I could still hear her words in my mind. I set my arms to the side feeling the wind brush against me. I felt the moist sand between my toes. I heard the rhythmic lull of the waves. I imagined that rock getting slammed by a ten-foot wave. I swung my arms and slammed down violently. I looked at the rock and watched as the wave came down with such force it split the already broken rock in half.

My arms were like spaghetti at my sides.

"You did it." She said not getting close to me again.

"I did."

I could hear her feet in the sand moving further away, and I went to go turn after her, but the sound of clapping changed my mind.

"I know you could do." My dad said as he made his way closer.

"That makes two of us now," I said grinning at his confidence in me. I was going to introduce him to Zoe, but when I looked around for her she wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Come. We got a busy day." Poseidon said.

And busy it was. I was able to do a few more of the other exercises we worked on yesterday until we got to the whirlpool and the wall after lunch. My wall was basically a baby wave going to my dad and was flat water by the time it made to him in the water.

"This one takes power. And I don't mean water powers, but the power of emotion. You have to mean it. You have to want it." He said firmly. It wasn't disappointment or anger, but like he was trying to express what I was missing but unable to find the words.

"I do want it. I do mean it." I said confused.

"No, you have to _want_ it. You have to _mean_ it. You have to be more…" He said trailing off. He lifted his hands as if in prayer and drug his lips along his pointer fingers as if in deep thought.

"I have to _want_ it. I have to _mean_ it." I said quietly to myself. "I have to _want_ it. I have to _mean_ it."

My dad must have had a brainstorm of his own while I was still stuck in a drought. "Out of the water." He said walking towards the beach. Once we were on the beach his trident appeared in his hands and he took on a defensive stance. "Get your sword out."

I took Riptide out. And I won't lie. I was scared. Beyond terrified even.

"Attack me."

"What?" I said dumbly.

"I said ATTACK ME!" He roared and sparks came off each tip of his trident.

Zoe came back into view and sat back on the driftwood not saying a word and wearing an emotionless expression.

And just like before, when I fought Artemis, my game face appeared and I steeled myself for embracing the impossible.

My stance widened and my knees unlocked. My dad's face now sparked with excitement as I began to circle him trying to get my feet into the water.

He swiped his trident towards my feet trying to keep me out. The blow was powerful and I landed on my side.

"No water son." He said grinning.

He allowed me to stand and I walked back to my original place. I exhaled deeply and rushed towards him with Riptide. I could tell that he started off gently and easily countered my every move with Riptide with his trident without even moving from his original stance. I tried to come to the side and he merely pivoted and met my sword with his vambrace and his arm didn't even move.

My dad laughed loudly. "Now I know why Artemis got mad. You aren't even a challenge! Not even a strike in five minutes. You might have bested that little godling, but I was born of two titans. You will have to try harder to get me down." He said mockingly.

I knew in my mind he was doing the same thing as Artemis, and I tried to keep my cool. I concentrated on how to take him down, but he was just toying with me. He didn't once go on the offense since he kept me from the water.

I tried. I tried really hard, but it was as if I fought a reinforced steel concrete building with a twig.

"You aren't trying hard enough!" He roared. "Perhaps, you need a bit of motivation." He said from his new location. He was standing on the water with Zoe next to him quite a bit of way out.

My teeth clenched and I walked straight onto the water without even getting my toes wet straight towards him. I came at him with all the anger I could muster. I thought about how he called her "Hunter" last night, about the way he was taking training too far, and now him involving Zoe. That reminded me about Artemis asking about what woman would want me knowing full well how I felt about Zoe. And I could feel the water getting angry under and around me. I could see the water getting very choppy fifty feet away from us in every direction.

"Is that the best you can do? Is that the best you can do for her?" He taunted with a manic gleam in his eyes.

The sky began to darken as I continued stepping towards him. The rain first started to come down in a light mist before large raindrops began to descend. Oddly, it didn't affect my vision whatsoever. He walked towards me and away from Zoe. When we got close enough to each other I swung Riptide and slight sparks came out of it as it hit my dad's trident. His intensity gained as it matched my own. When the lightning began to appear in the sky I could see my dad's eyes light up. And the amusement I saw just fueled me further on. When lightening came out of my sword like it did with Artemis my dad stepped back and absorbed it with his trident then rushed at me. I tried to defend myself, but he cast aside Riptide and it skidded along the top of the water before it crashed through and sunk. His palm was spread against my stomach as he pulled the back of my head towards him. But he didn't strike.

"Do you feel it here?" He stepped back. "Do you feel it here?" He said as he moved his palm to my heart. "You have to want it. You have to mean it." He said.

My emotions crashed down around me in realization. I had to _want_ it. I had to _mean_ it. And the storm showed it as it too began to dissipate to match me.

"NO! HOLD ON TO IT!" My dad roared. I saw him all the way back with Zoe with his hand around her throat to the side like a doll and he was angry. And this made me beyond furious. He was taking this way too far. Farther than I thought my dad would go. He really was as cruel as Zeus and Hades. The storm grew back up and the calming waters raged and took on new heights. I screamed as I pushed my arms out towards him and a wall started at me and grew in size as it moved the fifty feet towards him holding Zoe so ruthlessly. She wasn't even moving in his arms. As the wall approached he grew in size as well until he was as tall as a small apartment building. The wall slammed into him and crashed down into the water with a large crash and joined the choppy waters which now was only at my dad's knees.

He looked at me, and then at Zoe. "Well, I guess Artemis will have to make another constellation for another dead Hunter." He sneered. And without looking at her he dropped her.

It was as if I was watching it all play out in slow motion. I saw her limp body fall to the ocean from at least twenty-five feet and was claimed by the ocean. I wish I could say that I was acting on impulse, but I knew exactly what I was feeling and what I wanted when I imagined my damn father in the middle of a whirlpool. Slowly it began around him until the outer ring was right at my toes. It gained in strength steadily and faster than I thought it would. The lightening picked back up and as my father began to shrink from his larger size I imagined the lightning striking him. Over and over.

Rage consumed me. Rage over losing Zoe was destroying me from the inside. It was clashing like a storm inside me with the hurt and pain. I watched as his size shrank over and over until I couldn't see him. I crashed onto the water's surface and cried. I screamed. I cried and I hit the water with all the emotions still bottled within me. The wind picked up further and the water came down like the Niagara Falls around me and it turned to sleet. Yet, I didn't move. I was shocked when a hand touched my shoulder.

"Stand Percy." My father said with no emotion.

"Back off!" I yelled as I stood to walk away towards where I saw Zoe fall.

"She's not there!" He yelled. "Look at the beach!"

Part of me didn't want to hope, but I did. And she was sitting on the driftwood completely dry with Artemis at her side.

I ran on the water past my dad and didn't stop until I reached her. I didn't care that Artemis was there. I didn't care it was inappropriate. I didn't care about anything but her alive, breathing, and dry in front of me. I threw my arms around her and lifted her up and hugged her. I was losing strength and I lowered us both slowly to the ground. I kept my arms around her as I cried. Her arms wrapped me back just as tightly as mine. One arm released it's iron hold and I could feel some of her fingers were running through my hair gently. Soothingly.

"I love you Zoe," I confessed in a whisper before I passed out.


	5. Part 1 of my Confession

When I came to I was in the ocean with my dad holding me. The realization just dawned on me. I attacked him with whirlpools, walls, and lightning. I closed my eyes once more.

"Don't think Percy." He said calmly.

I let a deep breath out. "It's a bit hard at the moment."

He chuckled. "Come on. We will talk this out. I know you must be overwhelmed. I know I am."

He let me go slowly and I stood on my own legs. I still felt weak, but the longer I was in the water the better I felt. He took my hand and led me under water. As soon as our heads went beneath the surface a bubble formed around us. But my dad didn't stop yet. He kept walking until we were about a hundred feet or so further.

I sat down on the bubble and he did the same but a bit more gracefully.

"First, I want to say that Zoe was never in danger. But, we _don't_ have _much_ time here. Every time I come here it is more likely that we will be caught. I saw you went all out on Artemis for it and I used the opening and forced open the door. Seriously, she never left the beach." He started.

"Don't say that! I _saw_ her!" I exclaimed.

"You saw her?" He asked calmly as he rubbed the edge of the bubble and Zoe appeared. "Water manipulation, Percy. Just like the huge version of me you saw and attacked."

I let out a long deep sigh of relief. "I thought…"

"That I was cruel as Zeus and Hades. I know." He said quietly vanishing the water Zoe.

"I'm sorry." I said ashamed.

"Don't be. I can be and I know it. But, I really am trying to do right by you." He admitted. He was waiting for eye contact. And I could tell. He didn't continue speaking until he had it. "I had to see what you really had in you. And none of my other children could even compete against you. Even my godly son, Triton. I don't know why you are this way, but you are. If we didn't, and you did it again and lost control you could hurt or even kill a lot of people. Would you really like that hanging over you?" My dad said compassionately.

"Not at all," I said hoarsely.

"Know this. You were given this for a reason. Maybe it is for the prophecy or even something else. It is who you are. And you need to accept and embrace it. Don't be scared of it. When you are scared you relinquish control. Be the ocean. Be the wind. Be the storm. But, don't let it be you. So, tell me about this Hunter." He said with a grin at the end.

"Ugh!" I groaned stretching back on my hands.

"Percy loves Zoe." He said chuckling.

"Now you sound like Apollo." I laughed.

"It's a good thing, Percy. To do what you did you have to know and have experienced strong emotions. And if they originally came from love it is not a bad thing unless you let it be. A normal teenager deals with emotions all day, but to know you feel that strongly about something or someone, it is a beautiful thing. Just ask Aphrodite. But remember, the more you love the more capable of hate you are too. There is always a balance." He said seriously at the end.

"Are you telling me to love Zoe or not to?" I asked confused.

"What I am saying is know the lines you are not willing to cross and stick to it." He said.

I sighed in mild understanding not sure if I truly grasped what he said.

My dad stood and I followed. "No lessons tomorrow. I'll see you in two days. And Percy, I don't think you could truly understand how proud of you I am, for more than you water capabilities. You truly are a good man from what Artemis says."

Without waiting for a response he left me alone in the bubble thinking how far I had to walk back, and what I was walking back to.

When I got back to the beach Artemis and Zoe were sitting on the driftwood looking at the night sky with a fire blazing in front of them. They both stood as I approached.

"Hey," I said lamely like nothing out of the ordinary just happened.

"You must be hungry," Artemis said.

"Famished," I admitted.

"Good. Calypso went crazy overboard on the food after what happened." She said as she handed me the basket.

And she was right. The basket was packed. Surely it couldn't be all for me, but there was only one plate inside.

"Did you already eat?" I asked.

"Yes. We ate while your father took care of you." Artemis said simply.

I instantly put the basket down.

"You need to eat Percy," Zoe said frowning.

"How about we just address the elephant in the room and get it over with," I said getting upset.

"How about you eat, and I will talk Percy," Artemis said looking at the clouds forming over the once open skies.

I looked up too. "I'm sorry. Everything just feels a bit raw." I apologized sheepishly.

"It's to be expected Percy," Artemis said as she moved to sit next to me and open the basket back up and started taking out the food herself. Once she made me a plate and handed it over did she speak again. "I won't lie to you. I am completely astounded what you did. I don't think any other demigod was as powerful as you are. This will scare Zeus once he finds out. But, I am confident that if we show him your loyalty to Olympus before he does that it won't really matter. That is as long as he never sees something like today that is." She said with a genuine smile. "Truly Percy, it was a sight to behold and I will never forget it."

With that she let me eat in peace. I ate and ate and _ate_. I was actually disappointed when I saw the basket was empty. I laid on my back in the sand and looked at the stars.

"I'm not done, Percy. I was just being polite and waiting until you were done eating." Artemis said amused.

I sat back up with a grunt. I turned until I was facing her waiting for the dreaded conversation that held off on. And to think, I was going to get away with whatever she found most disagreeable. I was around her enough to not know because depending on the day, the person, the weather, and the time of the year it changed. Kept me on my toes, but fearful toes they were.

"You are fourteen. Zoe…well…Zoe is Zoe. I can tell there are strong feelings here. I will turn a blind eye towards feelings, and if Percy she ever decides to leave the Hunt, I want you to know that she will become a mortal once again. And as much as I love her, if she chooses to leave for you, that would make her ineligible to come back. So, I ask that any talk of that wait until after the prophecy has been fulfilled. How would you feel if she gave all this up, her family, her immortality and then you go and die on her. No, I don't want you to die, but I must think about what is best for Zoe. And, if you truly loved her like you think, act, and say you do, then you will understand and respect this." She said sternly raising in height.

"Milady," Zoe said as her the light within Artemis began to glow and we turned our heads.

I didn't turn back around until I couldn't see any light but from the fire through my closed eyelids.

"I'm sorry. I got carried away. And I really thought I could…" She said muttering to herself at the end. "I'm going to get back to the Hunt. Enjoy the rest of the week. Apollo will bring you back and I will have a very special quest for you two." She said grinning evilly.

"Oh Apollo, please save me from your sister," I said jokingly to Artemis. She responded by kicking sand.

She turned and disappeared kicking up a lot of sand on me in the process.

I laughed before I saw and realized it was just me and Zoe. I think that she was waiting for it honestly because she slid on to the ground next to me.

"Why?" She asked with fiery eyes.

I wasn't going to insult her and play dumb, and if Artemis was concerned, then there was a possibility that she felt the same. I took her hand, to gauge that it was a possibility. She didn't pull away and I gained the confidence I needed.

"I think for me it started on our journey west. In the beginning, we were like two magnets refusing to coexist, but when one flips they are stuck together. Because you slipped." I said grinning.

"I what?" She said tightly but didn't pull her hand away.

"You let your kindness and caring side show. At first, it was just a glimpse here and there, and then I saw you, the real you that you hide. And she was even more beautiful to me on the inside than the package displayed on the outside for the entire world to see. And trust me, that is no easy feat. Especially when the moon hits your hair. And it is like an angel is with you that is out of your reach and can never quite get. To me you are blunt; you are honest; you are kind; you are reliable. You always have my back, even if the world is actually against us. You are loyal. You are independent. You have become everything to me. My teacher. My student. My sparring partner. My ally. My up. My down. When you are sad I just want to understand to make it better. When you are mad and go all Hunter on me I still just want to understand and make it better. Because you make me want to be better. A better man. A better Hunter. A better hero. A man worthy of the prophecy. Because if maybe, just maybe, that might mean I am good enough for you. You deserve nothing but the best." I confessed. I didn't hide the tears in my eyes thinking of earlier today. If I moved now, then Zoe would think I was being dishonest so I carried on, "And today, when I thought you died I broke on the inside, and when I saw you I knew I had to tell you."

I stopped afraid that I overwhelmed her.


	6. Speechless

Zoe laid on the ground next to me and tugged my hand to do the same. We stared at the stars in silence. I tried to remember the ones she showed me to relieve my tension. A full declaration of love and I didn't get one word back. But, she hadn't pulled her hand back yet and as I started to relax more and more my eyelids started to close.

"Percy." She said quietly.

"Yeah," I said hoarsely opening my eyes back up.

"Not bad for a teenager." She said and I could hear the smirk on her face. "I do expect a better one when you finish your prophecy." Zoe sat up and I did the same.

"Oh, you think you could do better?" I said teasing.

"I know so." Zoe bantered.

I eyed her before I made to feint to go in straight for a dive, but instead went to the side and encased her waist in my arms. I quickly moved and began tickling her. Zoe laughed and slipped out like a snake and began running down the beach. I was quick to my feet to chase after her. When she started running through the shallow waters I had a wall come up from the other side effectively blocking her progress.

"Cheater!" She laughed.

"All's fair in love and war," I said laughing as I came up from behind her. I picked her up in my arms and swung her around and then let go causing her to crash into the water with a loud splash.

"Percy!" She cried out before splashing me.

I tried to look sheepish before I gave up grinning and sprinted away from her.

The night passed way too quickly, and the day after that followed. It was really nice though. Since my dad gave me the day off I just had fun with Zoe on the beach and in the water. We swam, ate & napped. I learned a lot more about her then I had in my time so far with the Hunt. And I fell more deeply in love as the day went by.

Since she joined the hunt she didn't really have any external hobbies besides reading and sharpening arrows. She had never been to the movies or an arcade. I was mentally making a list of what we would do once this whole prophecy was done and behind us. Zoe was interested in things I've done, and what I wanted to do. And at times I could tell she didn't know what I was talking about, but she asked questions and tried to see why it appealed to me. I tried to make a joke about winning the Super Bowl and going to Disney, but it wasn't funny when I had to explain what all of it was. She seemed really interested when she learned about how evolved amusement parks and their rides have come since she went to the original World's Fair with Artemis and the Hunters. However, she was convinced football was one of the dumbest things mankind did today. No amount of explaining changed her mind.

My dad came the following day. He didn't push it like the last time but showed me a few more things to work on. He seems to think since I made it hail that I could control ice and I should work on that, and be able to do the things I did before without having something so drastic trigger it. I was able to make the whirlpool happen again, but he didn't want me to bring the storm on again and Zeus notice it.

When Artemis came, I was sad. I didn't want to leave the island behind. Zoe and Calypso cleared the air between them and it was like living in a piece of Heaven on Earth. I loved sleeping in the sand next to a small fire with the gentle waves lulling me to sleep. I think the worse was leaving the dad I came to know behind. I liked spending time with him, and I didn't know if I would ever have that again. It saddened me more than I dared admit to anyone. Part of me really hoped he felt the same, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high if he didn't. He was immortal and has had a boatload of kids before me, and would continue to have more even after I was long decayed in a grave. So, besides the thank you and half a plate of offerings from my last meal on the island I didn't mention it.

I ended up spending the rest of the Spring with Hunters. It was with a heavy heart when it was almost time for me to head back to Camp Half-Blood. I didn't realize how much Artemis actually liked me, and not just tolerate me until the night before. She actually had a feast for me, complete with blue cake. And after we ate she actually acknowledged me as the only male Hunter and gave me a blessing. It was not the same as the other Hunters with immortality, but a gift nonetheless of stealth for aiding in a successful hunt. I blushed more than I thought possible when she touched my chest, and not aiming to take me out.

Artemis' kindness did not end there but allowed me some unaccompanied time with Zoe which was pretty much a rarity since we returned from the island. We watched the stars next to a natural spring in Yellowstone Park and I dozed off peacefully with my feet in the water and my hand in Zoe's.

Camp Half-Blood wasn't the same after my time with the Hunters. I went from being with a group that has been hunting for decades, centuries, and some even millennia together back to mortals with a few years training, and if that. It was kind of boring. The only highlights, for the most part, was seeing Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson again.

I got to see Zoe briefly a few times here and there and it was enough with the Iris messages and the letters we mailed back and forth. I was forewarned that all letters would be screened by Artemis themselves, but I wasn't sending anything like that so I was good humored about it and sent her letters too. And oddly enough, she would even reply every now and then.

That summer I ended up with a task going into the Labyrinth. And despite wanting Zoe with me, I went with Annabeth, Tyson, and Grover before we picked up a mortal Zoe told me about with her aid. I want to say we were victorious, but in the end, it meant Luke had many ways around that we couldn't see and a way into the camp despite the barrier.

In the end, it wasn't really needed because they stormed New York City trying to get to Olympus. We fought like champs, despite the fact that we were seriously outnumbered. Sometimes, when I didn't think I could go no further I'd look at my anchor to my Achilles' curse, Zoe, and everything would shift around me. I'd move hell and high water to protect her. And gods did it hurt like hell when we were separated and I couldn't see how she was faring.

My final battle to protect Olympus eventually came to an end. Despite Kronus being forced back to Tartarus, I felt no joy. Zoe was wounded in the streets protecting the elevator while I was too busy with Kronus. I went to her as soon as I saw Grover and Annabeth were okay. When the gods arrived, I was holding her in the eye of a storm. Artemis and my dad came to the street below and fought the heavy rainfall and sleet to get to us. Dad helped me get my emotions under control to release my hold on the storm.

"Zoe, you can't leave me." I cried as Artemis grabbed her hand.

"Have I served thee well milady? She asked turning her head to Artemis.

"With great honor," Artemis said softly. "The finest of my attendants."

"Thank you, Percy. I don't think I could have loved a finer hero." She said softly reaching up to touch my cheek.

"I love you, Zoe. Please, don't leave me." I told her desperately.

"Stars," she whispered. "I can see the stars again." She squeezed my hand one last time and let out her last breath.

I had teary eyes when I watched Artemis take her form and turn her into a constellation in the sky. It was very fitting. Once I saw the hunter in the sky, and none in my lap, I dropped to my knees and wept.

When I opened my eyes to thank Artemis, my vision was clouded by white fog.

"This was meant to be your first love. And I am truly saddened that it was taken away from you. Most people go their whole life without knowing even half of what this love felt like. Even with Zoe, it took her over two thousand years to find true love. It was never right to rip this from either of you." The voice said above me.

I dimly remembered that my time with Zoe wasn't real, but to me, it felt as if it was. I lived it. I loved her. I loved her with almost every fiber of my being. To me, her death was fresh and the pain was still there because it just happened.

When my eyes opened again I was back in Olympus standing before Aphrodite with Zeus watching us in interest. My breaths came quickly and I turned towards my dad to see if that was all made up. I didn't want to lose it. It was the best and worst thing to happen to me by far. Yet, he looked at me quizzically and I turned my eyes to Artemis wanting her to tell me it was all real, but Zoe was okay and that she still had my back. The world started spinning and I reached out to Artemis and fell to my knees with fresh tears. She would make this better. This time my world didn't go white, but black.

I heard voices but I didn't want to open my eyes. I didn't want to open my eyes to a world that Zoe didn't exist outside the night sky. I wanted her smooth hand in mine, while we laid on the ground together talking about everything and nothing. I wanted her to mock me and tell me again that I could only shoot an arrow because divine intervention, and that she was the one with true skill. I wanted to the twinkle in her eye to be there to show that she was kidding and that she cared. I wanted my other half here telling me I did good and that she knew it all along because Zoe was never wrong. Her words, not mine. My resolve cracked and the tears began to fall again. I heard lightning, my lightning, cracking in the background.

"He smells funny." I heard my dad say.

"I know." I heard Artemis. "He has…"

"I know," Apollo said. "Percy you need to clear your head before you knock us all out of the sky."

I tried to slow my cries, instead, they came out harder until I felt a hand on each shoulder. My dad on one and Artemis on the other.

"Percy, what happened with Aphrodite?" My dad said like he was trying to control his anger.

I moved to sit up and swung my legs on to the side of the marble table. The same one Apollo healed Zoe on. I slid my hand over the surface a few times remembering. I looked at the wall and knew for them to understand they would have to see. To experience it as I did.

"Lady Artemis, may I have your assistance please?" I asked standing.

She walked over and stood in between me and the wall. "Please trust me and turn around," I said quietly.

"Boy." She said glaringly.

"I need to show you and I saw you do it before," I said with silent tears rolling down my face.

"Will you explain why you smell like the three of us?" She asked firmly.

I nodded then hesitated. I stopped to sniff myself. It was only a vision. How? I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Once I regained control Artemis looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "You can figure it out," I said strongly. Artemis turned around slowly. I lifted my arms to hold her forearms. I felt her tighten up. I began to do the motions I saw her once use for my dad. She hesitated for a second before realizing what I was doing. I concentrated on my time in, "Aphrodite's gift." Once I lowered her arms it began to play on the wall.

My dad and Apollo came to over to Artemis and began to watch. It was brutal seeing it through my eyes and watching Zoe. I climbed back on the table and closed my eyes. Not seeing it didn't make it easier. When I heard each sound or voice I could see it on the back of my eyelids. Thankfully, it was playing faster than I hoped. And it was also editing out whatever my brain subconsciously didn't think was relevant. I don't know how long I laid there, but I could hear them sighing, grunting, snorting, laughing, and short comments like, "how?" I figured they were rhetorical and would ask if they were important when my memories stopped streaming like Netflix.

I don't know how long I was lying there. A few times one of Apollo's servants brought me some food, and I'm sure I dozed off a handful of times. I was just concentrating on not thinking about anything except breathing and stretching. I did Artemis' meditation and stretched every muscle possible more than five times. Every time I stopped the memories came at me full force. I know they looked at me a few times, but I wasn't ready. Hades, I didn't know if I would ever be ready.

Halfway through a back and shoulder stretch, I heard the end of my battle with Kronus. I jumped up and moved next to them. I watched with silent tears at Zoe's last goodbye. Artemis stuck her hand up to the wall and caressed Zoe's cheek as the vision of her placed her hand above Zoe's lips saying a blessing.

When it ceased to play all three gods turned towards me. And for once in my life, I was speechless and so were all three of them.


	7. I want to go back to the fog

Author's Note: Borrowed some lines in the last chapter and this one from _The Last Olympian_. I also wanted to point out that for the first time ever I had to delete reviews. PLURAL. I am all for constructive feedback, but to be rude? WTF. Seriously, what is up with that? I have never ostracized a writer in the twelve years that I have used this site. If you can't say anything nice or constructive, then please keep it to yourself. If you really don't like my story that much then don't read it. There was no need to be hurtful. Honestly, I was going to cancel this all the way around until I saw I had more alerts and favorites than nasty people. Remember, it is thanks to people like me that we all have something to read on this amazing site. If every writer was going to be bullied, then why should we keep writing or us read the stories that you write? This is where us nerds are supposed to band together for all our favorite fandoms and not tear each other apart.

"Aphrodite's gift, is a blessing and a curse, to Perce and Zoe," Apollo said breaking the awkward silence.

"Did you actually do it right?" Artemis said baffled even further. "What is happening to the world?"

"I am the god of poetry." He said pointedly to his sister with a half smirk at the end.

"So the god of prophecy, why did our gifts transfer over?" My dad asked speaking up for the first time.

'I guess he regrets what imaginary Poseidon did…Way to make me feel better. Go dad!' I thought sourly.

"Aphrodite did say this is how it was supposed to be," Apollo said shrugging his shoulders. "If I thought he deserved it I would have gifted him so my sister wouldn't maim him. He's a pretty damn good kid." He said to my dad. And I was happy with that answer, but he had to turn to me and open his mouth again. "You were really bad archery, you know." Apollo chuckled. "Perce's practice shots, were a joke beyond belief, the sun god's kids laughed."

I shook my head a few times and chuckled. He really did know how to lighten the world and the mood. "Thanks. It's not every day a sun god gives me a personal poem."

"Can you two please give us a moment?" My dad asked.

His lack of facial expression didn't help me figure out what type of talk this would be. And I was nervous. This wasn't the same man that I spent time with on the beach. The dad who tried to help. The dad who sat with me while I ate dad who was there when Zoe died. I went back to the marble table and sat on it looking at anywhere but my dad.

He walked over to the stool and took a seat. He didn't look at me either. And that bummed me out more than I wanted him to see.

"Percy." He started but paused.

I turned and looked at him. It reminded me of the time in the bubble where he was waiting for me to continue.

"Are you okay?" He asked concerned. "That was a whale's tail of an adventure."

"Yeah. Imaginary." I said mumbling.

"If you experienced it, then who is to say what is and isn't real?" He asked with furrowed brows. "I saw you the loved the girl. Why wouldn't it be real? It was real to you. I see that it is. Hades, the sky shows it was real to you."

"But not to anyone else!" I said standing and begun to pace. "I feel as if I know you. And Artemis! And you two are looking at me as if I was a stranger. All those memories I have of you two aren't real! I was so happy there. Well, until the end. I had Artemis, who despite me being a man had my back and was my friend! My friend! And I had a dad I got to spend time with and love. But now, I am friendless, the woman I love is dead, and I don't know if the imaginary father I came to respect and love was even real. I don't know if that was how you would react!" I said as lightning began to crack once more.

My dad stood and made his way over. He put his hand on my shoulder once more and I could feel the tension leave me. At this moment, I wasn't alone. Because I knew Grover and Annabeth wouldn't understand. They couldn't help me with this. And honestly, I don't think they could ever.

"Percy, you don't know how much I care for you and wished I was with you growing up. You know our laws. You know our rules. And as I was watching that, I was and am actually jealous of the other me. Do you know much I wanted to train you when I saw what you were and still are capable of? Know this, I had to be there in some form. He acted too much like me for Aphrodite to make up." He said. He paused as if collecting his thoughts, and then continued, "You are a good man and I am very proud of you. And I know you will still make me proud every day of your life. Despite everything that has happened, you have not been tainted by evil. Your moral compass is very much intact. The loyalty you possess and the loyalty you envoke is beyond that of any other demigod, and even some gods. You have a heart of pure gold. And you truly deserved Aphrodite's gift. I have done a lot of things in my life, and a lot of them I am not proud of, but you, you are one of my crowning victories."

A few manly tears came to my eyes and I felt more for the man in front of me than I believed possible. He hugged me tightly.

"Artemis wants to speak to you and then we have to head back to the throne room. Apollo is rounding everybody up since you passed out in your shining moment." He chuckled.

I nodded and he stepped back and disappeared.

"Lady Artemis?" I said unsurely.

She stepped out immediately from behind the archway. I should have known she was listening.

"Friend?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Imaginary Artemis was," I said with one nod unsure how to start from scratch with someone I felt I knew.

She paused and looked towards some unknown point in the ceiling.

"I saw the Artemis you knew. And she would have called you a friend." She stated. "She really thought you were a good man."

"I try to be," I said honestly.

"Zoe thought so too." She said turning her gaze to me.

My breath hitched.

She looked at me quizzically. "It hurts you despite knowing it wasn't real?"

"If my imaginary gifts are still here then it wasn't that fake, now was it?" I countered.

"True." She said still staring at me. "You loved her. Really loved her."

"Love. I haven't stopped." I said refusing to break eye contact.

"No. You haven't." She said.

"Is there anything else milady that you would like to trample on?" I said with angry tears streaming down my cheeks once more. I didn't need her to remind me that my love was one-sided.

"I will make you a deal." She stated.

I blinked a few times waiting her out. It worked in the past and I knew it would work again.

"Fine. If you allow me to test you and see how much you really learned and experienced, and I feel you passed I will figure out a way for you to talk to Zoe." She said.

"How?" I asked suspiciously.

"If I was your friend at one point I am going to assume the trust thing goes two ways. I trusted you earlier when I saw you. You looked at me as if you knew me, and you knew I could and would help. I smelled my blessing on you. I want to see that it wasn't wasted." She said seething at the end. "If we smell it on you, then the rest of the gods will."

"Oh, I see. A man has your blessing so it must be a trick. One of your Hunters fell in love with me in Aphrodite's gift, so, that must be a trick too. Fine Lady Artemis. I agree to your terms. I have nothing to hide, and at this point, what do I really have to lose?" I said getting upset.

I turned in a half circle and ran my fingers through my hair. I just wanted nothing more at that point for my vision to go back to the white fog and take me back to where the world was right. This was a nightmare that seemed like I would never wake up from.

"Man." She said quietly. "They are waiting for us."

I turned and walked towards her outstretched hand and for a moment, it was like my friend was back.

When we appeared in the throne room all the gods were there. I bowed once to Zeus, and then to my dad, Apollo, and then to Aphrodite and Artemis. Despite our outbursts, the Artemis I knew was in her somewhere, and she deserved my respect.

"Glad you are back to consciousness. It really is in bad taste to pass out when one is trying to reward you." Zeus said with a raised brow.

"I apologize deeply, sir. Aphrodite's gift was a bit much for this mortal body." I tried to joke nervously.

"I see. Much has happened in the last week." He started.

'Week?' I thought as I looked at my dad, who nodded once to confirm. I quickly looked back at Zeus who was obviously waiting for me to continue.

"As I was saying, a lot has happened in the last week. Your friend the satyr was named a member of the Council of Cloven Elders. Your friend, Annabeth, has determined that our lack of…parental obligations and acknowledgment…was a leading contributor to the overwhelming number of demigods who changed their allegiance. And she has made us swear on the River Styx to acknowledge all of our kids and have a cabin for each god at the camp." At this point Zeus sent a contemptuous look to Athena. I didn't turn to look. "She will also be overseeing the rebuilding of Olympus to stand for the ages. Which, now leads us to you." He said.

I walked forwards as if on autopilot and knelt before him.

"Many have spoken on your behalf demigod." He said and he gestured with his hand towards my dad. I stood and knelt before him.

"A great hero must be rewarded," Poseidon said. "Is there anyone here who would deny that my son is deserving?"

I waited for somebody *cough cough cough* Ares, Athena, or Dionsys to speak up, but none did.

"The Council agrees," Zeus said. "Percy Jackson, you will have one gift from the gods. The greatest gift of all. Yes, if you want it, it shall be yours. The gods have not bestowed this gift on a mortal hero in many centuries, but, Perseus Jackson—if you wish it—you shall be made a god. Immortal. Undying. You shall serve as your father's lieutenant for all time."

I stared at him, stunned. "Um…a god?"

Zeus rolled his eyes. "A dimwitted god, apparently. But yes. With the consensus of the entire Council, I can make you immortal. Then I will have to put up with you forever."

"May I accept on a few conditions?" I asked sheepishly.

"Conditions?" He asked shocked.

"I made a deal that I must complete before I can accept," I said firmly as my confidence rose.

"To whom was this deal made, if I may inquire that is?" Zeus asked, but I felt it was more mocking than he made it sound.

"Lady Artemis," I said with indicating in her direction with my head.

"Is this true?" He asked shocked as he turned towards his daughter.

"Yes, it is. I shall have him back to you on the winter's solstice." She said.

"Anything else Perseus Jackson?" He asked with an eyebrow raised.

"My father's lieutenant for all of time?" I asked confused.

I saw Artemis facepalming from my peripheral and my dad trying not to chuckle.

"Winter's solstice. We are voting on turning this dimwitted demigod into a god for saving Olympus. All in favor?" Zeus said ignoring my question.

I didn't even bother looking up knowing how I just embarrassed myself.

"Voting approved and request granted," Zeus said using his lightning rod as a gavel.

"I will see you on the winter's solstice to turn you into a god. Hopefully, it will knock some more sense into you." He said exasperatedly.

"Do you swear on the River Styx?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I swear I will make you a god on this winter's solstice on the River Styx. Aggravate me any further and you will be the god of horse dung. Do I make myself clear?" He said gritting his teeth at the end.

I nodded a few times and bowed once more before I turned and left the throne room before I made matters worse.

I ended up wandering around Olympus. I watched as they cleaned up. Happier music than I felt began to play and they worked like a true community. There were no bodies. No blood. They did a lot in the last week. A few waved to me. A few chuckled. I think they already heard what happened in the throne room. 'Percy Jackson. The god of awkward and embarrassing moments.' Kind of had a ring to it. 'Percy Jackson and the god of horse dung.' I thought as I began chuckling to myself.

"Pray tell me, what is so funny?" Artemis said as she walked beside me.

"Perseus Jackson, god of horse dung," I said chuckling as I looked at her. It was moments like this it was hard to remember she wasn't my friend. But, when she laughed too it was easy to believe she was. Once the laughter faded, I remembered this Artemis wasn't my friend, but angry I had her blessing. It sobered me very quickly.

"What can I do you for you milady?" I asked. I wasn't trying to be a smart-alec, and I don't think I sounded mocking, but I think she took it that way. It is really easy when you want to believe it.

"I spoke with Apollo. You can get cleaned up back at his temple, changed, and then we will head to the Hunt. I have already spoken to them and let them know some of what is going on." She said briskly.

"I didn't know I was here for a week. I really need to check in with my mom before we take off." I said worriedly. I didn't know what she thought and if she and Paul were still okay.

Artemis nodded twice and handed me a pearl. "Poseidon said you would say that. Take this. You seemed quite happy when we were at Yellowstone, and I recognize that spring you and Zoe were at the last night you spent with us. We will be there."

"Thank you milady," I said as respectfully as I could. "This means a lot," I said holding up the pearl.

She nodded once before she turned and went the direction she came from.

I made my way to Apollo's temple thinking of everything and nothing. I tried not to think of Zoe, but going back to the Hunters made it feel like a punch to the gut. Was Artemis trying to hurt me further? My friend Artemis wouldn't have, but this one…I was so out of tune with my surroundings that I didn't see Aphrodite sitting on the steps of Apollo's temple.

"Percy." She purred as she stood and walked over to me.

"Lady Aphrodite," I said with a single head nod unsure of how to greet her, or what she wanted.

"Did you like my gift? I bestow it upon only a select few. Just want to make sure it was appreciated." She said quietly and more seductively than the situation called for.

I didn't even have to think about my answer. "It was the best gift I have ever been given."

"But?" She said with a raised eyebrow. "I definitely sense a 'but,' coming along."

"I don't know what is real and isn't real anymore," I said matter of factly.

She nodded. "My gift can really make or break a person. But, without your first love, you wouldn't be ready for your true love. You couldn't handle it. Just like if you didn't do all those tiny quests for Camp Half-Blood then you would never have saved Olympus. Ergo, me." She said with a small shrug at the end.

"So, you helped me because I saved you?" I asked for clarification.

"Yes, and your true love story will be the highlight of my career." She said with a devilish smile.

"My true love?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep. Now, take care Percy, and remember, I'm watching." Aphrodite said before sauntering away with more sass in the hips than I cared to watch. Zoe would never have walked that way.


	8. Soothing the heart

Author's Note: Just a heads up there are only half the views on chapter four than there is only chapter three or five. Please read that one if you didn't - it was my favorite and very important! I think that might be on me because they were posted back to back.

I knocked a few times on the door to my mom's apartment and stepped back. I couldn't even guess where my key was. I really think that I Ankalumus didn't always end up in my pocket I wouldn't have had it by the end of the first day. Give me a minotaur's horn that I always know where it was…ADHD both a gift and a curse.

My mom didn't make me wait long before I could hear her running towards the door. When it swung open I was greeted with the smell of cookies. I didn't get to enjoy the smell long before she pulled me into a hug and I was drowning in the smell of her shampoo. Just as relaxing, but not as tasty.

"Hey, mom," I said lamely when she stepped back. I rubbed the hair on the back of my hair for lack of better things to do with my hands.

"Hey? That's the best I get for not seeing or hearing from you in a week? If it wasn't for Annabeth and Grover stopping by I wouldn't know what to think! Are you okay?" She asked stepping back as if inspecting me.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I said just as lamely. I didn't want to get in on the whole Aphrodite's gift. I just wanted my mom.

She ushered me in and fed me and talked about the battle and asked a few questions here and there.

"Does that mean you are done and coming home?" She asked.

I told her about my reward from Zeus and that I had to go spend time with Artemis until the winter solstice, just not the reason why.

"A god?" My mom said shocked as her hands rose to her mouth.

"Mom?" I asked nervously. "Are you okay?"

"I just don't know what to say, Percy." My mom said dropping her hands from her mouth and grabbed mine. "I always knew you were special."

"Are you mad, sad, glad?" I asked trying to remind her of one our jokes from when I was younger.

"All of them Perce. All of them. How long until you have to go?" She asked pulling them up and walking to the now beeping oven.

"Now," I said placing the pearl from my pocket and onto the table.

"Is this what that getup is for?" She said pointing at a duplicate of my Hunters uniform.

"Yeah," I said nodding a few times.

"Isn't Artemis a god of maidens?" She asked with a grin.

"Yep," I said popping my p.

"All parents dream." She said smiling, but my stomach dropped at the feeling of déjà vu. She bagged a bunch of blue cookies for me and turned around.

"I'll iris message when I can," I said accepting the cookies I couldn't eat now.

"You better, or I'll show this Artemis what a real woman can do." She said with a chuckle.

"I love you mom," I said hugging her once more.

"I love you to Percy." She said hugging me back.

After she let me go, I picked up the pearl and thought about the spring that I spent the last night with Zoe at.

With a dizzying sensation, my surroundings changed. It was already night time and I was staring a the spring. I wasn't alone. Artemis sat there with her feet in the water with a Hunter's bag next to her.

"How's your mom?" She asked as she stared at the sky. I dropped to the ground next to her and took off my boots. I wasn't ready to look up and see what I knew she was looking at. I put my socks into my boots carefully and rolled up my pants to my knees before I dipped them in. Only then did I lean back and look up. Zoe. Watching me from above.

"She's good," I said as I passed her the baggie of cookies.

Artemis opened up the bag and took one out. She stared at the blue cookie before she took a bite. "I have never had a blue cookie. It is very good though."

"My stepdad once said that there was no blue food. And my mom started to make anything she could blue because it was my favorite color and anything is possible." I answered quietly as I grabbed another cookie and passed back the bag to Artemis who instantly took another.

"She sounds like a good woman." She said.

"One of the best," I said looking up at Zoe.

"She was with me for a long time," Artemis said. I didn't feel like she was waiting for an answer so I stayed quiet figuring she had more to say. "I think of her as a Hunter, my lieutenant, and my friend. Or as close as I have. The Hunters swear loyalty to me and see me as their commander. But you, you look at me as you did Annabeth and Grover. Zoe didn't look at me that way."

"What are you asking me Artemis?" I said quietly taking my gaze away from Zoe's constellation.

"I'm not asking anything." She mumbled.

"Let me try that again. What are you saying between the lines?" I asked bluntly.

Artemis let a loud chuckle. "You sounded like Zoe on that one. Just cut right across the hellhound dung."

"You didn't answer," I said before I laid all the way down and I stared at the sky. "This is the closest I've felt to her since I woke up." I figured with Zoe I gave a little and then she gave a little. And it worked on the other Artemis too after I proved my worth.

I don't know how long we sat in silence before I started to doze off.

"Man. Get up," Artemis said a bit firmly.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up. I wasn't looking at a shrunken Artemis god, but a twelve-year-old version about to have a hissy fit.

"Yes milady. I am up." I said pulling my legs out of the water and put my socks and boots back on. Once I did I stood before her like I did what felt so long ago at the training fields. She tossed me my bag.

"Come, I want you to set up right across from my tent so I can keep an eye on you." She said and marched through the opening.

I followed her and I noticed that the number of tents was a lot less than what I remembered. I tried to remember who I saw fall during the battle. I couldn't. I only had eyes for Zoe.

Artemis stood with her weight mostly on one foot and her arms crossed.

I stopped about three feet from her and placed my bag on the ground and began to pull out a few items. First, my tent.

"Here milady?" I asked for permission. I was familiar with this mood and I didn't want to make matters worse for either of us.

She merely nodded in response. I tossed the tent down and watched it pop up. I stayed next to her despite the fact I wanted to pass out and never awake. I took inspection of the bag and noticed a few items missing that I was accustomed to having in here.

"Is everything to your satisfaction?" She asked with a raised brow.

"My pack seems to be missing a few valuable things if you plan on taking me hunting milady," I answered passively.

"And what would those items be?" Artemis asked. She was testing me.

"My expanding water bladder, light, firestarter, sleeping bag, and my field dressing tool," I answered zipping the bag back up.

She sighed heavily in anger. "You may retrieve them from the armory tomorrow." She turned to leave.

"Milady?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, boy?" She spat out angrily.

"I know it isn't a good time, but I noticed…nevermind," I said cutting off from her continued fierce expression.

"No, spit it out." She said loudly.

"I noticed there were a lot fewer tents then I remembered. I was just wondering…" I said trailing off this time, but for a different reason.

Her fierce expression changed to one of sadness. "We lost a few," Artemis said just as quietly before she turned and made her way to her own tent.

I made my way into my own tent. Just like when my dad hugged me earlier, I didn't feel alone. Artemis' sobs matched my own. I still didn't know why she wanted me here, but I was starting to doubt it was because a man had her blessing.

The morning came quicker than I wanted. I took a set of clothes and headed back to the spring. I knew breakfast wasn't ready for the smell of food didn't permeate the smoke from the mess tent. I bathed in the spring and looked up sad that Zoe wasn't here with me in the daytime too.

I grabbed my towel and wrapped my towel willing the water to get off of me. I grabbed my stuff and headed behind a nearby oversized bush to dress in some privacy knowing I had a silent figure watching me.

"How did you know I was here?" Artemis said stepping out.

I shrugged as I pulled on my pants despite the fact she couldn't see. "Just a feeling," I said as I pulled on my shirt. "Any particular reason that the goddess of the maidens was watching me bathe?"

"You can tell more by watching a man when he thinks he's alone than when he is with somebody." She answered.

"Not me. What you see is what you get milady." I said stepping from behind the bush.

"Time will tell the boy." She said before she turned and walked back towards the camp. I followed too but didn't change my pace to catch up.

After breakfast was served I followed the girls, who once again ignored me, down to the training grounds. I felt lonely without Zoe as my training buddy. I saw Thalia down at the end and she waved a bit before turning to the smaller girl beside her. I lifted my hidden bow from over my shoulders, well I should say, tried to. I looked towards Artemis and found her grinning devilishly. I cocked my head to the side as if saying, "Really?" I waited a moment and then tried again. I'm so glad it was there because honestly, I didn't know what I would do if it wasn't.

I took shot after shot, and I think I was impressed as Artemis. Apollo's gift didn't waver and was still intact despite being from the imaginary Apollo. I waited until she called time and did her review of each hunter's performance. I figured it was another test. Because she walked past me and started on the far side, and not the closest side to her as she always did in the gift. Her movements were like clockwork then. Predictable, but not boring. Steady and not overbearing, well, for the most part.

"Ah, boy. I see that my brother's gift did hold after all." She said.

"Unlike your predictability," I said with a raised brow of my own.

"Excuse me?" She said with a louder voice than before.

"You always start at the side closest to you," I stated.

"What are you going on about?" Artemis said with feigning ignorance.

"I mean you always do reviews starting at the end closest to you so they could go retrieve their arrows once you were done. You walked past me all the way to the other end. So all of us had to wait for you to make you merry little self to the end before the beginning. Not very efficient milady." I said jokingly at the end.

"How dare you?!" She spat.

"How dare I what milady? Pass your test?" I said. "Remember, I told you I had nothing left to lose but everything to gain. If I could…" I said trailing off at the end thinking of Zoe. Did I really want to talk to her and find out if it was real? I think she realized I was in pain and told me to go get my arrows.

We then put our stuff away for a light run. I left my coat and bag behind realizing that I didn't go to the armory yet. I saw Thalia coming out with a handful of items.

"I think you might need these." She said.

"Thanks," I said grabbing the items.

"For some reason, Lady Artemis told me to take them out when I brought her the bag for you." She said somewhat confused and fishing for an answer. I didn't give her any.

"Yeah, I'll really need the water bladder for the run," I said feigning ignorance.

The run went by more quickly than I wanted. It was a better way than the archery practice for me to figure out who was missing. One missing face stood out more sorely than I thought. Phoebe. The rest I remembered, but not as clearly. It appeared Artemis did lose about half her hunters. I slowed down at the thought.

"Can't keep up boy?" Artemis yelled as she passed.

"Yeah, something like that," I said halfheartedly as I picked my pace back up to keep with the group.

We kept our pace for another hour before I saw us rounding out to head back. Once we were heading back they all began to go faster. It felt good. No thoughts existed. Just the run. I didn't want it to end, but we were back at the fire pit. Artemis oddly enough sat next to me while we sharpened the arrows together waiting for lunch to be served.

"I didn't see any memories of you working the mess hall." She said quietly.

"I believe you feared for my well being alone in there with your hunters," I said with a chuckle. "I did hunt though with...Zoe, Thalia, and sometimes with Phoebe."

"I didn't realize you were close with Phoebe." She said shrewdly.

"I didn't say I was close. She tolerated me…most of the time…in her own way." I replied with a sheepish grin.

She nodded with a grin of her own. "Yes, I'm sure it would have been in…as you said it…own way."

"I'm sorry for your lost hunters," I said.

"They are not lost, but thank you just the same." She said concentrating on her arrows.

September and October passed by in much the same way. I'd get some of my Artemis back for her to disappear for a few days, and the other Artemis would come back out, and then my friend would come back. It reminded me a lot of Zoe in the beginning. They really did have a lot in common. My pain over Zoe didn't leave me, but by being here it was easier. I could see the appeal to the girls here with men trouble. It was as if it soothed the soul. I knew I wasn't alone in my pain here. And they understood it. Even the training was therapy in its own way. It gave me a new respect for the things that I missed in my imaginary go around.

I even told my friend Artemis in the middle of November. She was off on a mission and left Thalia and me in charge for about two weeks. When she came back it was the middle of the night and I was down by Zoe's spring as I took to calling it.

"I'm glad you found real appreciation for it and that it helped you as it has helped my hunters since I began this." She said.

"Did you have a successful mission?" I asked looking at her older form, which was still young in her twenties I'd guess.

"Scouting. I found five girls to join." She said with a nod.

I whistled. "That's a lot," I said.

"Yes, I will need you to continue to act as Thalia's second while we get them settled." She said firmly.

"Of course, milady." I agreed.

"I have also secured what I promised." She said quietly looking up at Zoe.

I turned to her in shocked disbelief. As far as I knew Zoe was in Elysium with the rest of those who fell at the Battle of Manhattan…no…she was at the airfield. "Did she make it to Elysium?" I whispered.

She nodded twice.

"So…I passed your test I take it?" I asked hopefully.

"Not yet." Artemis grinned at me. "I said I secured it. I think that I will wait until the first week of December, after you have some time with the new girls, to give you your final test."

"And that is?" I asked uncomfortable by the look she gave me.

"Did you really think that I would let you skate by without fighting me? I am convinced that your vision happened, and the gifts you received were real, but I cannot find it in me to believe that you took me out in a fight." She said to my disbelief.

I had to fight Artemis again?


	9. Hook, line & sinker

I worked a schedule out with Thalia and Artemis to give the newcomers a crash course on what they could expect and see what they were naturals at. Thalia was going to handle the impromptu on spears, Artemis was going to show the arrow, and I got to shine with knives. It was working pretty well. The other Hunters made them feel welcome and they took to camp very well after a few days, for the most part. There was still one girl that I could hear crying at night.

Julene was eleven and was the daughter of a minor god, Nemesis. Artemis found her trying to make her way to Camp Half-Blood with a few others and a Saytr. Artemis offered her a choice and they moved on to another group and rounded up two, and then another group, and then another group before they headed back. No one knew her backstory really since she didn't really talk much, but it wasn't from lack of trying. Sometimes, I'd sit next to her in silence and sharpen my arrows just so she knew that she wasn't alone. Artemis just figured she'd come around in her own time and that it was none of our places to push her until then.

But to me, there was a difference between working your mind out and secluding oneself. So, I stepped up and moved to sit next to her at meals in silence. And then I began to run next to her during training in silence. Then one night, she didn't cry herself to sleep. The next morning I was already eating and she came up and sat next to me for once. She didn't say anything but felt as if I won a battle.

Julene didn't end up confiding in me, but Thalia. And that was a good thing. My fight with Artemis was drawing closer and Thalia was the Lieutenant. She asked her what my deal was and why I was there. From there, she told Thalia on her own that her dad died in New York while we battled above. She stayed in the apartment her dad had until one day they put an eviction notice up from the rent not being paid. She packed up what she could reasonably carry and was found a few days later in Central Park by a satyr talking about taking her to camp. Thalia asked why she joined instead of going to camp. Julene said she didn't have a mother growing up or any brothers and sisters and Artemis explained how they were like a family…of all girls and one male. It brought a smile to my face when Thalia told me. Artemis included me in there when she was scouting. It was then that I knew I had my friend back.

The night before my fight with Artemis I was hanging out by myself talking to Zoe's constellation as I sat at the edge of the spring. I was telling her about Julene, and some of the other new Hunters when Artemis came over and sat next to me.

"What are you doing?" She asked looking around the spring.

"I was talking to Zoe," I said quietly as I stretched my toes out in the water and leaned back on my hands. She seemed puzzled and I continued. "I miss her. I miss having her companionship. It's lonely without her." I admitted. "You know, having someone to share your thoughts with, your fears, and your dreams," I explained.

"I see." She said, but I don't think she really did. "No, I understand. I have lost friends too you know."

I turned and looked at her.

"I have had friends." She said roughly. "And I'll have you know they weren't women."

I chuckled a little bit and raised an eyebrow at her. She lightly smacked my shoulder.

"You may be the first man that I have given my blessing, but you are not the first man to accompany the Hunt. In fact, one goddess, in particular, caused one to die in the first place. Hence, why I was a little more willing to help you after what happened." She admitted looking up at Zoe.

"Aphrodite," I whispered.

"Yes." She said just as quietly. She took off her boots and socks and soaked her feet near mine.

"What happened?" I asked.

Artemis shifted so she was facing me. "He was my friend and he went home to visit his father who wanted him to settle down, marry, and have kids. He wasn't interested in that life though. He had no desire for any type of romantic relationship. He was content to hunt with us and live off the land. And Aphrodite, who kept trying to influence him here at camp to no avail, finally got her claws in. She kept enraging his father, and he killed his son with his sword. I meddled with things more than a bit, stirred up quite a ruckus, and he grew old away from me and the Hunt." She said slowly and deliberately.

"And the others?" I asked.

"There weren't that many." She said as she lay on the ground and looked up at the stars. "Did Zoe tell you about Orion?" She asked

I didn't think now was a time for lectures on the stars, but I guess that was Artemis way of changing the subject. "No," I said lying down beside her and looked up.

"Long story short, Orion was a blind giant that Hephaestus helped see with some eyes he made. He was a very skilled archer. And he was my friend. He started to, care, for me and Apollo drove him crazy until he became a threat. Gaea sent a large scorpion that killed him. I then sent my friend to the sky." She said.

"I feel as if you edited that more than a bit." I sighed turning my head to look at her.

"I did," Artemis said.

"Do you think one day I could hear the full stories on them?" I asked.

"Possibly." She said.

I nodded knowing that was the best I would get.

"Percy?" Artemis said quietly.

"Yeah," I said not looking as if not trying to scare a lone deer drinking.

"Am I your friend again?" She asked.

"I think so," I said softly.

"I think so too." She answered.

Artemis and I sat in silence staring at the stars both lost in our own thoughts. When the last sounds from camp tapered off she told me it was off to bed and that we had a big day ahead of us. I groaned as I got up and carried my boots in my hand.

When dawn arrived we ate breakfast and was then told to break camp. I looked at Artemis in confusion and she said that we were moving camp to a place a bit more accommodating to our needs. Once camp was broke down we began running and the tunnel of light was ahead of us. I ran faster hoping the weird sensation would pass sooner than the other times I ran through the warp tube. It didn't help though. When we squeezed out I recognized where we were. Ogygia. And waiting in the water was my dad, Poseidon, grinning.

"Alright, I want to set up camp up over this hill," Artemis commanded.

I wanted to go greet him, but I had to help set up camp. I set up my tent and put my stuff in my tent and went to help the newcomers with theirs while the seasoned Hunters started on the community areas. I noticed Artemis' tent wasn't set up yet so I walked back over the hill to where Artemis was speaking with my dad and Apollo. I didn't say anything, but took her bag off her chariot and made my way back. While the Hunters didn't set up Artemis' camp they left a large space open with a breathtaking few of the rest of the island and the sea. I set up her tent and all the other random little things she preferred. I may have been kissing a little butt, but I also didn't want to go over to them until they called me. They didn't join us until after we had camp set up, minus the training fields, ate lunch, and had cleaned up.

"Let's get this party started!" Apollo said clapping his hands once then rubbed them together.

Even Artemis looked a bit excited at the prospect of kicking my behind. Hades knew why she had to bring me back here to do so.

"Five minutes be on the shore on the other side of the hill." She called out. "Prepare yourself, Boy," Artemis said walking towards her tent.

"Come Percy." My dad said beckoning me to follow him over the hill and to the water.

I followed and I saw him walking into and under the water. Once I joined him we were surrounded by a bubble. An odd sense of déjà vu followed. But unlike last time, Zoe wouldn't be waiting for me when I re-emerged.

"I have a present for you." He said giving me a box.

"You didn't have to," I said as I accepted it.

"I wanted to." My dad said grinning.

I looked at him quizzically before I opened it up. Inside was a custom set of wrist guards, shin guards, chest plate, shield, and helmet. "Dad," I said I lifted each piece to inspect them. There were different scenes on each piece of things that I did. A labyrinth scene was on one shin guard with maze-like designs around it, the golden fleece was on the other with little smaller scenes around it, the wrist guards showed the lightning bolt in the background and me fighting Ares, and other wrist guard showed me holding the earth and my friends, including Artemis fighting. Zoe was on it. I was thankful for it. If the other pieces were magnificent then I couldn't begin to describe the chest plate showing me in combat with Kronus. I saw the gods fighting Typhon on the one side and the other side showed the Battle of Manhattan.

"Custom made by Tyson." He said. "I told him what I wanted and he made it. I added a few enchantments on it as well." Dad said smiling at my shocked expression.

"I don't know what to say. But, thank you." I said as graciously as I could. "I'll have to get Tyson something really special for this."

"You deserve it. But there is one thing I want to show you before we go out. I saw what you could do in the memories. Do you think you could still do them?" He asked.

"I tried a bit and they are there," I whispered.

"Good. Now, if things seem dire and you don't think you could do anymore I have a sort of Hail Mary that I don't know if it will work, but…"

After some fatherly advice, I strapped my gear on and walked back to the surface with my helmet under my left arm. My father followed right behind me. The look on the Hunters faces was priceless to me. When I thought things couldn't get better I saw Artemis looking just as, if not more, shocked.

"Now, I want a nice clean fight," Apollo said then laughed loudly. "I take that back. As Artemis requested, short of godly forms all gifts are allowed. A fight until unconsciousness, subdued, or until one concedes. No death blows."

"All gifts?" I asked looking at Artemis who was grinning devilishly.

"All gifts," Artemis confirmed.

"I have Artemis' back if things get out of hand, and your second Percy is your dad," Apollo explained. "Just to make sure things don't go too far. Also, the Hunters are off limits."

I nodded in understanding. If something happened, my dad had my back. Okay. I can do this. I said gaining confidence.

Artemis moved closer to the end of the island further away from the Hunters and I followed. She took out her spear and shield while I put my helmet on and hit my watch for my new shield to pop out. I pulled out Anaklusmos and readied myself.

She didn't disappoint, but feinted left and then made to jab under my shield. I slammed my shield down and she had to pivot to keep her grip on it. She smiled cheekily at me and then bashed her shield against mine to get me to release her spear. I rose to meet her and then went with for her arm as she pulled her spear back. She was too quick for me.  
Artemis jumped back and began to circle me. I smiled as I mocked her with the same steps she taught me my first go around during training. And I watched her feet with one eye waiting for her feint start and wasn't disappointed when she did and I raised my sword quick as possible. She had to stop on the dime to keep from losing her own head on her own maneuver.

"Touche." She said as she raised her shield to push my sword aside and I let her.

I pulled with my gut to let the water start to rise around our feet subtle enough for her to feel like it was the tide coming in. Artemis raised a brow letting me know that she was on to me. I struck out with the additional strength the water gave me and she countered with her shield leaving an opening for her spear to jut out that I blocked with my shield. Faster and faster her motions became and if I wasn't in the water I wouldn't have been able to keep up. Stalemate after stalemate we went. Then when I went in she wasn't there anymore. She rolled back and pulled out her bow and launched five arrows at me. I dropped my shield and sword and made a few motions and a wall of water erected in front of me just in time to shield me from the spray.

I held it seeing a few splashes coming my way from the additional arrows she fired. I couldn't stay behind a wall forever. I tentative took my right arm down and held the wall with my left. I used my right arm and held it out to the side. I willed the water and wind to my beck and call. Building the tension before I swung it over and slid down. Once I knew the water was slamming on top of her I quickly grabbed my shield and sword and rushed her.

She only had time to grab two knives from her thigh sheathes before I was on her. But two knives wasn't enough against my sword and shield. I swung the shield trying to get her down to subdue her. I knew she wouldn't go easily so I jammed my sword into the sand preventing her from sliding under my legs like last time. She stopped just a hair before she split her womanly v further north. By a hair. She was getting pissed now and jammed a knife into my left thigh.

I gritted my teeth and kicked her in the side with my now bad leg. I moved back to regroup. I knew I only a second or two so I pulled my left arm up and the water went up my leg and healed my left thigh while I grasped my sword tighter.

Artemis took on a different stance and wasn't rushing towards me. I didn't like the look of evil grin and I saw no weapons in her hand. Magic. She was going to turn me into an animal.

I quickly raised my wall and with an act of sheer determination and faith I swiped my other arm and watched it freeze before me. Whatever Artemis was going to do shattered my wall until only ice shards were on the ground between us.

I won't lie. I was a bit mad. She was going to change me into an animal. I turned and walked towards the water. I knew she wouldn't attack yet. Artemis was shocked. Once I got about fifteen feet walking on the water I turned back towards her and grinned. She quickly got over it and I could tell she was seething. I wasn't stupid. I knew she'd attack. I was just biding my time while I gathered the water and the wind on my side. I could feel it powering up like in a video game ready for me to hit the correct power combo.

I knew Artemis couldn't walk on water and I started a small whirlpool. When she transformed herself into a flock of birds I increased the strength in the whirlpool and the wind around it. The closer she got the tighter the formation the birds flew in. I fought against her as long as I could. I sent heavy rain towards her and the flock just separated and came back together. The same for the hail. Eventually, she made it towards me and I couldn't even use Riptide. The birds separated and surrounded me. I couldn't use any more water since it was in the whirlpool and the wind was useless since she was in the eye of the storm with me. The birds pecked at me but didn't hurt me too much. They began to fly at once carrying me back to the shore closest to where we were at.

I tried frantically to get away but they weren't just gripping my clothes, but my all my armor, and parts of my skin. I kicked up the storm a notch since we were back out of the eye and crashed on top of the water and began to raise the waves to meet the birds. They kept flying higher and higher just out of reach. A wall would be pointless because they could just go over. I only had one trick up my sleeve. Lightning began to flash, but nowhere near us. I didn't want to kill her. Just get her to concede.

I saw her retreat back to the beach and returned to a human form I took Anaklusmos in both hands and stared at her as I stabbed it in the ground imagining and wishing for my intent and screaming in the amount of my strength I put into it. The ground began to shake and cracks appeared but were instantly filled in by sand. Artemis was now almost buried to the chest in sand. Her arms were free but I moved quickly with Ankalusmos an inch from her neck.

Pure unfiltered fury blazed in her eyes.

"Winner!" Apollo cried out loudly moving his arms around clearing my storm and allowing the sun to coat the beach again in its late afternoon waves.

"NO!" Artemis cried out before she turned herself into sparrows and released herself from her prison. She reformed next to her brother. "This isn't over!" She spat.

"It is." My dad said firmly as he walked over to me and led me the edge of the water and had me sit down.

"No!" She cried out at him.

"Enough!" He yelled back causing his own waves to form behind him. "He's isn't a god yet. I let you have your fun!"

I haven't heard him that angry outside of Olympus before and I cringed sinking further into the water. I didn't have it in me to even turn and look at her. I was exhausted. The water helped a lot, but I was done. Hook, line, and sinker.


	10. Journey of the heart

Apollo handed me some ambrosia to nibble on while I sat in the ocean.

"Don't mind her. Short of me, she hasn't really had any sparring partners. That's why we were here…in case things got carried away." Apollo told me.

I didn't know what to say but nodded my instead as I finished off my ambrosia. My muscles were still a bit sore, but nothing a good night's sleep wouldn't help.

Apollo clapped my shoulder. "You were phenomenal. Really impressive." He told me before he walked away.

I stood reluctantly and made my way to my dad and Artemis talking.

My dad gave her a pointed look.

"Good fight Percy. Sorry if I got a bit out of hand." She said. It wasn't overly dramatic, but I believed she meant it.

"It's all good. It was a bit of fun, but nothing I'd do again in a hurry." I told her cutting off that bit of hope I saw gleaming in her eyes. Thankfully, they quickly deflated.

"Well done Percy." My dad said happily as he clapped my back a few times.

And let me tell you, when you are sore all over and a god hits your back a few times in good humor, it doesn't feel like good humor. I think if he did it one more time I would have dropped like a hurt minotaur.

"Thanks," I replied sheepishly stretching out my back a bit more. Which, in armor, is harder than it sounds. "Is it time for dinner yet?" I asked.

"They just started," Artemis informed me.

"Ugh." I groaned.

It was a nice end to the day. We had an array of different foods. I got to eat with Apollo, Artemis, and my dad. And for once, it felt like my imaginary life was my real life. All I was missing was Zoe.

Despite how tired I was I still sitting on the beach long after Apollo and my dad left, and the Hunters called it a night. They were all excited about swimming tomorrow in an actual ocean.

"How are you doing?" Artemis asked as her twenty-something form came to sit beside me. "You've been quiet since they've left."

"Just thinking," I told her.

"Do I have to pull it out of you, or are you just going to tell me?" She huffed.

"Zoe. I don't know if it is a good idea for me to go see her." I admitted.

"You're afraid that it'll confirm your worst fears." She whispered as she leaned back on her hands.

I nodded unable to bring myself to answer.

"I don't think you should fear that." She told me. "I think that is exactly what you need to do, and before the winter solstice."

"So, how does it work?" I asked.

"I have made an arrangement with Hades. Your father tells me you can water travel now. So, you will go as you did before to DOA studios, and hand over something special to Charon and he will take you directly to Hades. Hades will then escort you to Elysium to see Zoe. Just know, the longer you are there, the harder it will be for you to leave." She said very softly.

"You made an arrangement with Hades?" I asked. "For me?"

"That's what friends do Percy." She sighed. "Besides, it's the least I could do."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"When I lost Zoe, and then half the Hunters…I felt alone. Sad. Empty. But, you were my friend through it all despite how nasty I got. You are the best friend I could have asked for." She confessed.

"You are my best friend too Artemis," I said reaching out and squeezed her hand once before I let go.

"I'm going to call it a night. This obnoxious half-blood really wiped me out." Artemis said standing. I put the envelope for Charon on your nightstand. We will be here for the rest of the week and then we will be heading north…that is, if you want to join back up before your big day."

"My mom is requiring me to be home the night before the Solstice. She says she has something special planned." I told her.

"Either way, I am only an iris message away," Artemis said before she walked to her tent.

"Thank you Lieutenant," I told the wind to carry to her.

She paused but kept walking shaking her head.

That night I was plagued by nightmares of all the ways this could go wrong with Zoe. But despite it all, I packed my Hunter's bag and stepped towards the ocean willing me to the west coast. I arrived on the same beach that I fought Ares on and made my way on foot to the recording studio. I was still wearing my silver coat and bag, but nobody looked at me funny.

I sighed deeply as I made my way to Charon, who actually remembered me. I gave him the envelope. After seeing a single black piece of fabric with moving faces he took me immediately to the elevator and we went by ourselves across the river.

Hades wasn't in the house when I arrived, but Nico heard me and came to greet me. He was only a couple inches shorter than me and was happy I came. I asked about the camp, but he said that it was really sad after the battle, but from what he heard it looked like next year was going to be amazing because of all the new kids coming, and the cabins were all supposed to be done by then. We ate breakfast together and then we were informed that Hades was back.

Nico stayed in the kitchen and I went to the throne room, after promising to see him again sooner rather than later. Hades stood when I walked in.

I bowed. "Uncle," I said as respectfully as I could.

"So, future god, here to see your old girlfriend I hear?" He asked bluntly.

"I am here to see Zoe," I confirmed.

He nodded once in understanding. I remembered how Bianca and Nico's mom was taken away from him too, and I wondered if he ever went to see her. I kept forgetting that some gods could read minds as I saw him give a slight nod once. I nodded my thanks because that's how guys do it. A series of grunts, grins, raised eyebrows and nods.

"Come on. I got loads to do before the solstice since they are going all out this year." He said gesturing towards the door that went off the side. Once we were outside in Persephone's garden he stopped. "I want you to take this," Hades said handing me a platinum ring with a round black stone set into like a high school ring, but instead of the school it said, "Perseus, son of Poseidon."

"This will help keep you safe when you are in the Underworld. I really want to tell you what it does, but I don't. A magician doesn't like to give away the tricks of the trades, get me?" He asked.

I didn't really, but I nodded anyway. 'Don't take the ring off.' I thought.

"Artemis said I shouldn't stay long, right?" I asked for clarification.

"Don't take the ring off and you'll be fine," Hades answered.

"Okay," I told him.

"Okay." He said clasping his hands.

And before I knew what happened we were standing before a gate. "Touch the ring to the gate." He told me.

I did as he said, and it sprung open.

"To get out do the same thing to leave. This pearl doesn't work on the inside of Elysium." Hades said handing me a pearl. He sounded like he wanted me to say more, but didn't. When I looked up, he was gone.

After I made my way through the gate it closed automatically, and very quickly. I made my way down the path to what the was a small town, but in actuality was the welcoming committee. One came running when I got closer. He was a portly guy in his mid-forties and couldn't be more than five feet tall wearing, gods bless him, tights. I tried to remember my medieval European history trying to pinpoint his clothes, but I came up blank as he greeted me with a smile.  
"Name?" He asked as he pulled out a long scroll.

"I'm not on there. I am here visiting." I said gesturing around with my left hand. Immediately he noticed my ring judging by the widening of his eyes.

"Of course sir! Here to see anybody in particular?" He asked peppily.

"Zoe Nightshade," I answered.

He pulled out his long scroll and read through it. "Yes, of course. If you could get in, I'll be delighted to take you to her." The man said indicating a motorcycle with a sidecar. I thanked him and climbed in awkwardly.

"How long will it take?" I asked as he climbed on. He barely turned the ignition on before he turned it off.

"We are there already." He said with an amused smile.

"Huh," I said climbing out inspecting my surroundings. It was truly a hodgepodge of different houses of different time periods, but it didn't look tacky at all like I thought. It was beautiful. Everybody's own heaven together. He gestured towards a little path and as soon as I stepped on it I felt a warm burst of sea air. I followed the path past the trees and it took me down some wooden stairs and let me out on the beach. It was just like Ogygia. And laying in the sand in a white tunic was Zoe.

Words failed me. I didn't want to intrude, but I was lost. So, I did what I do best. Be as awkward as I could while going for cool and steady. I knocked on the stair banister, and said, "Ding Dong." I mentally face palmed as she sat up shocked.

I just stood there. I couldn't even bring myself to move. Part of it was an embarrassment, and part of it was because I didn't even plan on what I was going to say. I just worked my butt off to impress Artemis to make it happen, but hoping for and being there were two different things.

"Percy?" She asked standing up and making her way over to me. "What are you doing here?" she asked when she got closer.

"I came to see you," I said biting my lip.

"How did you get here?" She asked truly shocked, but not angry that I was here.

I didn't know what to say still so I just waved my hand once showing off the ring that explained it all to Mr. Tights. "I made a deal with Artemis, who made a deal with Hades, and now I have a ring." Yep. Perseus Jackson, god of awkward moments.

She looked taken aback, and I hope she knew what it was because Hades didn't explain.

"Come sit with me." She said turning and making her way back to the beach. She didn't sit on the sand but sat on the same piece of driftwood that she used in my gift when I fought my dad.

Was all of this a coincidence?

"So." I said looking around at her version of paradise.

"Are you okay?" Zoe asked concerned.

"Honestly. No." I admitted as I shifted to look at her. I didn't want to be here and waste my time not taking in every bit of her.

She frowned and took my hand and squeezed.

I started from the battle, my time on Olympus, Aphrodite's gift, to waking up alone, Artemis' deal, my reward, then my time with the Hunters, Artemis' tests, my dad, and my journey here. I let it all out. I cried more than once. She didn't once let go of my hand and it felt good to have her back.

She waited until I was out of steam and then pulled with me to sit with her on the beach with our backs against the log.

"I thought it was just me," Zoe said quietly. I looked at her in confusion.

"I was laying in the woods, Yellowstone Park. It was my favorite place for us to set up camp. There was this spring there. I couldn't get enough it. It was surrounded by trees, but if you laid near the spring you could look up and see the sky. It was a breathtaking view. Well, I was imagining I was there, but in here you know, and I got lost in the same thing." She confessed.

"What?" I asked just as confused as before. "You lived the gift too?"

"Yes." She said turning to face me. "I saw it all. I heard it all. Experienced it all." She said quietly.

I pulled her to me and cried silently as I held her. "Gods Zoe, I love you."

"I love you too Percy. I'm sorry I waited until the end to tell you." She said hugging me back tightly.

"It doesn't matter. I knew you did." I told her. "Thank you. Thank you for making this real. Since I woke up I thought…" I said trailing off.

"I know. Me too." Zoe said. "I can't believe you did all that to get a chance to talk to me."

"You are worth it and so much more," I said picking up her hand and kissing the back of it.

"Percy?" She asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"I'm no longer a Hunter." She whispered.

"I know," I said leaning in to kiss her lightly on her cheek. "Dance with me," I whispered in her ear.

I took off my boots, socks, and Hunter gear and then stuck out my hand. She grabbed it and I pulled to her feet. Soft classical music began to play in the background. We danced in the sand and then I pulled her out on top of the water.

"How long can you stay?" She asked quietly like she was scared of ruining the moment.

"I have to be back in New York on the 20th." I looked down at my watch and saw it was the 5th. "So, about two weeks," I answered just as softly as she did. I didn't say anything else, but we danced until the album was done.

I had to pay attention to the watch. Sunlight and nighttime didn't mean much here since it went with Zoe's whims.

We talked. A lot. I told her of the things I had planned for us after the prophecy. The places I wanted to take her. Marry her. Have little Zercy's running around at a beach house somewhere. And she told me that she hoped for those things too. And how when she woke up, it was like her life was stolen for her, and for the first time since getting to Elysium she was upset to be there. But, she was more thankful than anything, like I was too. To know it wasn't one-sided, and to us, it was real.

I got to experience more than one first with her while I was there besides slow dancing with a girl on a beach. I had my first kiss. My first girlfriend, in the flesh, or real world, or whatever you want to call it. My first date. And it was perfect because she never experienced those things either. There was no right or wrong. We just did what felt natural and it was priceless to me, and I know it meant just as much to her.

I tried to make sure she knew how much I cherished her with everything we did. And we did a lot. The special ring also allowed me to tap into Zoe's heaven and we got to go to an amusement park, the movies, and so much more. On my last night there, I tried to make it as special as I could. We had dinner next to the spring, danced, and we gave ourselves to each other under the stars. We both didn't know if we would ever see each other again, but that was part of the reason it was so special. It was a something intimate between the two of us, a single manifestation of the love we had together, and a bittersweet goodbye. I told her that I couldn't see myself giving myself to another woman first since she was the first to claim my heart. She shed a few tears. The first that I saw from her, ever. And she said she felt the same way.

It was with a heavy heart that we had to say our goodbyes.

"I'll carry you always. In my heart, and in your sword." I told her as I hugged her.

"I'll carry you always." She said as she hugged me back. "Take care Percy, I love you and thank you. For everything."

"I love you too Zoe," I said as I kissed her forehead and turned to leave.


	11. The last day of my mortal life

When I got out of the Underworld it was very early morning on the 20th. It was the last day of my mortal life. I could have gone straight to my mom, but I didn't have it in me to face her yet after all that just happened. I just needed to process. I headed to the ocean and when I got close by I took off my boots and socks and put them in my bag. I wandered aimlessly until the sun fully rose before I stepped into the water. I wasn't expected at my mom's until four, and I was at a loss of what to do or where to go. Instead of leaving I just sank to the ground. I was sad. I was glad. I was mad. Sad my time with Zoe was finished. Glad that I got that time in the Elysium with her. And mad we didn't get to live out our lives together. I'm sure it would have been one hell of a life if our time in Elysium was anything to go by.

"Golden drachma for your thought?" My dad said scaring the crap out of me as he sat down beside me.

"They are so messed up I might have to pay you instead." I laughed.

He chuckled at my lame joke. "You doing okay?"

"Actually, I think I am," I said honestly.

"I'm glad. Because your mom hasn't heard from you in a few weeks and she yelled and threw stuff into the water demanding I make sure you are with her your last night. She is insisting that since I get you for eternity that I can make sure you get your butt home." He said with amusement.

"Is it worth it?" I asked turning to ask him, and I think my question caught him off guard.

"Is what worth it?" He asked.

"Being a god?" I questioned.

"Do you not want it?" My dad asked.

"I didn't really think past, me, Perseus Jackson, god of horse dung, to be honest," I said.

"If you are not ready, Percy." He said, but I cut him off.

"No, I want it. I just realized that I didn't give it the proper thought that I should have. For so long I didn't fit in the mortal world, and then I learned I was a demigod, and I thought that maybe that was where I was supposed to be. But, now, I don't fit in there either. And I see me being with you, Artemis, and Apollo and I feel like home. I finally feel like I'm going where I am meant to be." I admitted. "All the things I'll be able to see and do as the years go on…And, I think it would be really cool to be able to spend time with you and see what you do down there. I got to grow up knowing mom, but you, not until recently. And I think, I need it more than I wanted to admit." I confessed.

"You don't need to be a god to impress me and spend time with me." He said shocked.

"Well, you technically aren't supposed to be here now." I countered.

He sighed heavily. "I would love to have you around. There is so much I can still teach you, things to show you…is there anything else bothering you?" Dad said after he looked at me.

"Love. I'm scared being immortal and that was my only shot at love." I answered looking at the ocean.

"Do you remember what Aphrodite said?" He said looking out at the water as well.

"She said a lot," I said fisting a handful of sand.

"That your first love was taken away, and that you needed it to be ready for your true love. That without it, your true love would never happen. But the problem with gods is we don't see time the way mortals see it. Things go by in ebbs and flows like water does. Things can seem calm and time drags by, but when the waves of life start going it moves by faster than you imagine. And Aphrodite has seen your love. But only time will reveal when." He said clasping my shoulder in his hand.

"So, what does your lieutenant actually do?" I said with a raised eyebrow.

Dad chuckled. "We will worry about that later. For now, we must get you home to your mom."

I reached into my bag and grabbed my socks and boots to put on. I stood with my dad. I grabbed his arm and followed him in. When we arrived in New York we walked in silence to mom's apartment. When she opened the door for us I could see that she has been worried.

"Oh Perce!" She said pulling me in for a tight hug. "Where have you been?" I thought you were with the Hunters, and when Artemis showed up I didn't know what to think!" She said pulling back and hollered at me.

"I'm sorry mom. There was something I had to do before the solstice." I said honestly.

"He was down with Hades." My dad said speaking up. "He was keeping an eye on him while he said goodbye, but time works differently down there."

She deflated instantly. "Oh Perce." She sighed as he gave me another hug. "I'm sorry honey."

"I'm okay mom. I'm sorry I made you worry." I said with my stomach growling.

"Come on in both of you and I'll make breakfast." She said waving us in.

"This is your time Sally, but thank you. I'll be by in the morning to pick up Percy." My dad smiled before he left.

I spent the day with my mom watching old movies eating blue cookies. She tried to get me to talk about the Underworld, and I told her that I just wanted to enjoy the day with her. She told me to go take a shower and get dressed while she started dinner. I took my time enjoying the indoor plumbing and hot water. After I was done I went through my stuff seeing if there was anything I wanted to take with me. I didn't take anything big. Just my beads from camp, a bunch of photos and some random small stuff that meant a lot to me. But I got a bit curious when I heard the doorbell. I put the stuff in a shoe box and put it in my Hunters bag and headed back out.

A bunch of people was now in the living room, Annabeth, Grover, Nico, Chiron, Clarisse, Thalia, and Artemis. My mouth dropped.

"Hey," Annabeth said as she and Grover headed over. "We missed having you around Kelp Head." She gave me hug and stepped back quickly.

"That's God Kelp Head." Grover laughed as he gave me a fist bump.

"What are all you doing here?" I asked smiling.

"I invited your friends over for dinner. I figured we wouldn't be doing another birthday party, and what better day to celebrate you." My mom said with a sad smile.

"Thanks, mom," I said walking over and giving her another hug. "You are so amazing. Paul is lucky to have you."

"Annabeth, want to help me get the drinks?" My mom asked.

"Sure Ms. Jackson." She said.

"I'll help too," Thalia added.

Artemis walked up. She didn't say anything but stood next to me.

I smiled at her and hugged her. "Thank you." I squeezed a bit then let go.

She raised an eyebrow me. "We are talking about this," she said gesturing at me up and down before continuing, "later."

I looked sheepish and laughed.

"You look better. Happier." Artemis said.

"I am. I don't know how I could thank you." I told her.

"You deserved it. You earned it." She said before stepping back to speak with Chiron.

It was nice seeing Annabeth and Grover like this. There were too many people around for them to ask what was going on, and I only had to give vaguish descriptions of what I've been up to and where I've been. Occasionally Artemis or Thalia would join in and add some to the stories much to my mom's dismay or pleasure. Chiron seemed to be enjoying himself as well despite the fact he was in his wheelchair. And it was then that I realized that he would be one of my constants after tomorrow. After tomorrow. It was easier to say than think about what was to come.

Sooner than I wanted it was late, and everybody was leaving. My mom gave me some privacy to say goodbye to everybody. Artemis was the last one left.

"I'll be on the fire escape at eleven." She said before she too left.

I went back in and helped my mom clean up.

"So Percy, nervous about tomorrow?" Mom said as she dried her hands on her dishcloth.

"Just a bit. Last time I was there I pretty much embarrassed myself." I smiled sheepishly as I sat at the kitchen table.

"Come on. It couldn't have been that bad." She said.

"Yeah. It was." I chuckled. I told her all about it and she laughed too.

"Are you going to tell me about who you went to go visit in the Underworld?" Mom questioned as she leaned forward to look at my ring.

"Uncle Hades gave me that," I said looking at it

"It's nice." She said waiting for me to continue.

"I went to go see Zoe." I started. "She was my first love."

She looked at me confused. "I thought you and Annabeth…"

"No," I said shaking my head. "She's always been in love with Luke. I'll admit I had a crush on her for a bit, but I wasn't in love with her." From there, I told her about Aphrodite's gift, and Artemis, both my imaginary friend, and now my real friend, and my time with my dad.

When all was said and done my mom had a few tears streaming down her face. "You've grown up on me."

"Yeah. I guess I have." I whispered.

We ended up going to bed shortly after. I awoke about an hour later to a soft persistent tap on the window. I sat up remembering Artemis wanting to talk. I wrapped my blanket around me and climbed out on to the fire escape to join her.

"Hey," I said sitting down.

"Last night." She said looking up at the moon.

"Yeah," I said looking up as well.

"I wanted to talk to you before the solstice. Just in case we don't have time afterward." She said softly shifting towards me.

"What's up?" I asked.

"How did it go?" She asked.

"Better than I expected," I said as I clasped my hands together and looked down at the ring Uncle Hades gave me.

"Percy, what is that?" Artemis asked strained.

"It was a gift from Uncle Hades. He said it does a lot of things, but he wasn't going to tell me. He told me to keep it on and it would keep me safe while I was in the Underworld. It even opened up the gates to Elysium." I said sticking my hand over to her. She grabbed my hand and pulled it close for her to examine.

"I told him to keep you safe, but, I didn't think he'd go that far," Artemis said shocked.

"He isn't a bad guy. At first, I thought he was a complete d-bag, but after Nico, and Bianca, Manhattan, and what happened down there, I think…well, I think he's a decent guy. Better than some other of my relatives." I said getting a bit defensive about my Uncle.

"I'm glad you think so. Not enough do, or give him the credit he deserves." She said looking back at the moon. "So, tell me, how was Zoe."

"She had the same gift, but from her point of view. She thought it was Elysium, and that it didn't really happen. When I got there she was laying on the beach in Ogygia. I spent about two weeks there with her. Thanks to Elysium we got to do a bunch of the things I had planned for us after the prophecy." I said.

"Such as?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

I gave her a 'what the f look,' before I answered. I danced with her in the moonlight on the beach and music magically began to play. We got to ride the rides at amusement parks, have picnics on the beach, go to the movies, and everything else we could think of we wanted to do together. Uncle's ring tuned me into her Elysium home."

"When did you lose your virginity?" She asked bluntly.

I sighed deeply, and I don't know if it was in exasperation or anger. For once though, it wasn't in embarrassment. "The last night we were there Zoe wanted to go back to the spring in Yellowstone that we shared our last night together in Aphrodite's gift. We had a picnic lunch, we danced, and then we gave ourselves to each other."

"You gave yourselves to each other?" She asked with a snort and the "you are such a man," disgusted look.

"Yes," I said getting angry. "We gave ourselves to each other. I didn't shag her. I didn't manhandle her. I didn't F CK her. We expressed our love holding nothing back. And I don't regret it. If I could give that piece of me to anybody I am glad it was her, because if it was anybody else it wouldn't have meant anything. Anything! I know I loved her and was loved by her. And, because of declaration we will always hold a piece of each other…it connects us. Even if we aren't together and even if we don't ever get to see each other again we will always have that. Without her, I wouldn't be here. Without her, I wouldn't be the man that I am. I am proud of who I am because she was proud of me. My mom is proud of me. And my dad, he's proud of me too. I wish I could say I was sorry that I don't hold onto your maiden beliefs, but I'm not. If I were you, then I wouldn't know what it was like to feel things this deeply, or trust another so explicitly to bar my soul to, or tie my self to when I was in the River Styx and make it back out. To know the pain of losing my curse because they died. That is what it is to love. To live. To keep on going. And hope that maybe, just maybe, I'll get to experience it again." I said standing up.

"Percy." She called out to me.

"Save it Artemis. I won't let you taint what I had with Zoe," I said climbing back into my window and pulling it close.

"So much drama." I heard from a corner in my room. I turned quickly and pulled out Riptide.

"Really cousin?" He said dramatically.

"Nico." I sighed in relief putting Riptide away.

"I won't lie. I heard you with Artemis out there." He said coming to sit next to me on the bed. He pulled himself up and leaned his back against the wall. I slid up there next to him with my blanket still wrapped around me like a soft taco.

"I'm pretty sure all of New York did," I mumbled.

"Do you not really know what the ring does?" He asked.

"It let me see Zoe, and that was what was important," I told him leaning my head against the wall.

"It does more than that. Not only does it keep us from getting sucked into death, and act like a master key of sorts, but it also gives us certain powers. I know some of what mine can do, but I don't know what my dad would have given you." Nico said showing his hand with his similar ring.

"Why would he do something like that?" I asked bewildered.

"It is the eve of your becoming a god on Olympus. Maybe he wants an ally in the future. Maybe because you are my only real friend. Maybe whatever he wanted from Hecate was that important and it was the only way to even the bargain out in his eyes. Who knows?" Nico said shrugging.

"Hecate?" I asked confused.

"Yeah, Artemis had to get Hecate to do something for you to get your little vacation." He answered moving his ring around and watching the light cast into different colors and throwing shadows on the wall.

"What did she have to do?" I asked.

"You just cast aside one of the two people who knew. Maybe three if Artemis already did her share." He said looking at one shadow in particular. "We have company coming." He said before he disappeared.

"Percy, you okay?" My mom said cracking the door.

"Yeah, mom," I said laying back down.

"Night honey." She said walking over and gave me a kiss goodnight.

The morning sun burned right in my eyes despite being inside an apartment. "Apollo?" I asked blocking my closed eyes. "I'm up now, so can you turn it down a bit."

"Come on, ride with me this morning. We need to talk." He said yanking my blanket off me.

"My mom," I said sitting up.

"Won't know you're gone. I'll have you back by breakfast." He said anxiously.

I stood still in my pajamas and let him materialize us onto the roof. I climbed into his shiny car and buckled up. I learned my lesson the last time.

"I'll cut to the chase." He said speeding off the roof before he even hit second gear. "My sister made a deal with Hades."

"I've heard," I mumbled. "She has to get something from Hecate."

"More like get Hecate to help Hades even though she told him no." He continued.

"What does he want done?" I asked yawning.

"He wants her to hide Tartarus and a few prisoners from all but a select few. He wants to protect the Underworld and Olympus, but she is being stubborn." Apollo admitted.

"Why wouldn't she want to help with something like that?" I asked confused sitting upright now.

"Because she is a Titan. She fought against the Titans the first go around, but Olympus supposedly didn't treat her with the respect that she felt she deserved, so she defected back to the Titans for the second go around as I am sure you remember." Apollo said shifting and picking up speed.

"I remember," I told him thinking about the empousai. "And I'm sure you are telling me this for a reason."

"Get her the respect, and require it of her. Not many know and Zeus won't tell you, but you get one act when you become a god. Like first new action, but it has to happen at that council meeting. Regardless of how it hurts, you cannot pass out and you have to make it to your throne." He told me.

"I thought that the council votes on everything," I said

"Old technicality, not on your first action. Only your vote counts after somebody seconds the motion." Apollo informed me. "All you have to say after taking your throne once, "I have some new business I would like to discuss. State that due to the uneven of men and women on the council you want to elect Hecate to balance out the women. I'll second it and that will be it. But, you must do this before Zeus can recommend somebody. This ball is in your court." He said turning to look at me.

"What if I fail?" I asked turning to look at the bright sky instead of him.

"Hades gets Artemis' immortality to give to Bianca." He said slowing down back over my roof.

"She did all this for me?" I asked shocked.

He nodded twice. "I once told you to treat my sister right. That hasn't changed. I don't know a single person she would have done this for. Don't let her pay such a price for you. And by gods, don't let her know I'm the one who told you. Or I might relinquish my own self to Hades. It would be a more humane way to die."

My door popped open on its own regard, or Apollo's. One can never be sure.

"I understand," I said getting out.


	12. I am a god

My dad came right after breakfast and I said goodbye to my mom and promised to iris message or come see her when I could. I left in my regular clothes with my Hunters boots and my Hunter Bag on my back. My dad and I weren't in a hurry and walked to Olympus in a leisurely fashion.

"When we get to Olympus we are going to meet Apollo and Artemis at Apollo's temple. You'll be able to change and leave your bag there until after all the festivities are done for the day." He told me.

"Change? Is this like a black tie affair?" I asked with a smile.

"Well, if Zeus changes you in what you are wearing you'll be nude when you take your godly form for the first time. I figured you were embarrassed enough at the last council meeting, but if you prefer…" He trailed off with a smile and a glint in his eyes.

"No. That sounds good." I said with a blush. "Anything in particular? Tunics? Togas?" I ask thinking of the other gods and their apparel.

"That wasn't what I had in mind. Do you still have the gear I gave you?" He asked.

"Yeah," I said swinging my bag at him a bit.

"I had it made to grow with you when you shift shapes automatically. Kind of like one set of godly training wheels until you get the hang of it." He said bumping his shoulder with mine.

"Thanks," I said bumping back.

It didn't take us long to reach the Empire State building and we headed up without a word to the guy at the front door. The Olympians were setting up food booths, games, and platforms for musical performances. Some others were building, but it was still too early to tell what they were. Dad led me past all of it and down towards Apollo's temple.

Apollo was there, but Artemis wasn't. I didn't know how I felt about that. I know what she did for me. I thought about the fight we had last night, but I really didn't think she would hold a grudge right before my initiation into the gods. I know I looked confused looking around for her.

"She'll see us at the council meeting in a bit. She wanted to give you some…space…after last night." Apollo said. "Lady Artemis, is truly embarrassed of herself, better note the day." He said grinning.

"Embarrassed?" I asked before my dad started to laugh but turn it into a cough at Apollo's glare.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" He asked me pointedly. "I have a few things to do to get your system ready so you don't pass out like the Dionysus did. Remember?" Apollo asked pointedly.

I nodded repeatedly while I saw my dad's eyebrow rise.

"Am I missing something?" My dad asked.

"Just making things right. Got to have the balance and all." Apollo said nonchalantly.

"Balance? What did you rope my son into?" My dad asked getting heated as I pulled out the armor he gave me.

"I should be asking what did your son get my sister into, but I'm not. They are their own persons and we have their back plain and simple. Just have trust uncle. I haven't steered him wrong yet." Apollo said accepting a platter from his servant.

"What am I wearing under the armor?" I asked my dad changing the subject. He pulled out a brown paper wrapped package from inside his jacket and handed it over.

"A dress?" I asked once it was open.

They both grinned at me. "You said you wanted to wear a tunic. So I got you a tunic to wear under your armor."

"I was just joking!" I called out as they left me alone to change. I felt like a fool while I put my leather and celestial bronze apron on, and then the armor. But when I looked in the mirror I thought I looked absolutely like a bad ass from history.

"The hair is all wrong. When was the last time you got it cut?" Artemis said leaning against the wall.

"I know," I said frowning at my outgrown emo looking cut.

"Have a seat," Artemis said pointing towards the stool near the table.

"I thought you wouldn't come. They said you would meet us there." I said taking a seat.

"Do you want me here?" She asked.

"I do. I didn't want to go through this without you. You are my closest friend." I said as I watched her pull out a small hunting knife from a sheath.

"No matter what, I am here for you." She said moving my head by my chin examining my hair.

"So am I," I said keeping eye contact trying to ignore the fact that she was about to use a knife to cut my hair.

I could feel she cut my hair close to my scalp. I made my way over and looked in the mirror. I thought I looked like Sam Worthington in _Clash of the Titans_ , and ready to take on…well the whole Greek council in my case.

"You'll be fine Percy." She said coming up from behind me. I saw in the mirror that today she was in her late teens. It was odd how I stopped noticing her form unless I was trying to gauge her mood. With the way I looked now, it was like we were about the same age.

"You ready Percy?" I heard Apollo called.

"Yeah," I said still looking at Artemis' reflection. When I turned around to greet my dad and Apollo, she was gone.

"Cut your hair?" Apollo asked shocked.

"Yeah, someone came and did it," I said walking over to him arranging the tray on the side table. He raised his eyebrows and lowered his chin, but didn't say a word otherwise. Sometimes, I didn't know what was worse.

"Have a seat." He told me as my dad came and joined me on the examination table.

I started to fidget while I waited. My ring. "Will my ring be fine?" I asked dad.

He grabbed my hand and exhaled loudly. "All godly gifts should be fine. Do I even want to know what you had to do to get that?"

I looked at him and said, "I earned it."

He nodded his acceptance and Apollo stopped any further line of questioning.

"Now, when Zeus sends the power of the gods towards you don't let it take over. I want you to set up a defensive stance like a fighter is heading towards you. If you must go down, go forward and down on one knee to keep yourself mostly upright. If you do that, your chances you'll be rendered unconscious will be lower." Apollo said handing me bits of fruit and ambrosia to eat, and a glass of nectar to drink afterward.

"Once it passes, you need to walk to your throne. Understand?" He asked with a pointed look.

I nodded while I wait. "I'll know when it is done?" I verified.

"Yes, you will be as tall as we will be. And, you'll feel it." He answered.

"Okay," I told him with a single nod.

"Great! Let's do this!" Apollo said clasping his hands in excitement. "Young god Perseus, was very brave beyond compare, but was a friend too." He said with a chuckle.

"Thank you Apollo, the brightest of the Greek Gods, and the biggest clown," I said back with a laugh.

My dad and Apollo were still chuckling when my dad placed his hand on my shoulder to took us to the throne room. He told me to stand on the other side of the fire until I was called upon before he walked away.

I noted that my clothes fit in quite well here. Except for Ares who was wearing his biker's leather, Hermes in his suit, and Dionysus in his Florida retirement best attire. Also, we seemed to have a lot of visitors lining the walls closest to the doors standing around watching. I didn't recognize most of them, but a few faces seemed familiar.

Once Apollo and my dad took their thrones, Zeus called to order.

"Before we begin our Winter Solstice council meeting and celebration we have one to reward first," Zeus called out looking at me. "Come Perseus Jackson."

I walked with deliberate steps towards him like I deserved to be here and knelt before him.

"Today, we will be welcoming another god onto the council for his heroics. He has had multiple successful quests, including but not limited to, his aid in retrieving the Golden Fleece, which cured the barrier tree at Camp Half-Blood, returning multiple gods' missing symbols of powers, rescuing Artemis and aiding her in restoring Atlas' position under the sky, leading a winning battle in Manhattan and here on Olympus, and banishing Kronus back to Tartarus. He truly was the child of the prophecy. After much deliberation with other gods, I will personally be watching his progress as he grows into a god in good standing. And then if, and only if, he deserves it he will be promoted in his standing as I see fit. Until that time, he will stand as his father's lieutenant." Zeus stated loudly.

Then, as if the ground cracked open a throne appeared beside the last god's permanent throne closest to the door, but before Hades visitor's throne. It wasn't as grand as Zeus', or my father's. It was a marble throne. But mine nonetheless. I turned back to Zeus and waited.

He stood and told me to follow. He led me to the other side of the fire. We were on a completely flat surface in between the council and the audience. He raised his right hand for me to stop, and he kept walking until he was about fifty feet past me and turned towards me. I braced my feet in a defensive stance with my knees slightly bent.

He grinned as he raised his now long lightning staff. "I, Zeus, god of Olympus, am granting, with the council's approval, Perseus' godhood and a seat on the council."

A blast of lightning came soaring towards me. I didn't raise my hands to block it but gritted my teeth as it went through my armor and directly into my chest. I heard multiple sharp intakes of breath, but I didn't concentrate on that. I concentrated on standing and trying to think past the overwhelming pain. It was as if the lightning was burning all my blood and organs from the inside. I felt as if I was in the fields of punishment in the Underworld. 'The Underworld,' I thought. 'The River Styx,' I continued thinking of my dip for the curse of Achilles'. I tried to think of an anchor, but anchors came to mind.

I looked at Apollo, and then my dad until I also saw Artemis. I thought of all three of them holding me here. I could almost imagine their support in my mind, and then my thighs, my knees, my calves, and then my feet. I concentrated on my memories of them.

Apollo and his unending faith and trust in me. His poems that weren't as really bad as Artemis' thought they were…when he got them right. I thought of my dad and how proud of me he was and how I knew he loved me in his own way. I remembered our days on the beach together. And how lately he randomly has shown up when I was lost myself. Then I thought of Artemis. How she guided me when I couldn't see the light after Zoe. Her mood swings as she fought her inner battle of being my friend before she admitted defeat. The friend who put her immortality on the line for a deal she still hasn't fulfilled so I could get my resolution, and be happy.

I gritted my teeth and held my ground when my heart began to fire over and I felt as if I was dying. I felt my feet leave the ground and I couldn't even tell you how high I rose because I closed my eyes as I fought the increasing pain. But behind my closed eyelids I saw Artemis, Apollo, my dad, my mom, Annabeth, Grover, Nico, Zoe, Thalia, and a montage of all my memories with them playing on some super fast forward speed that made sense to my mind. When my heart felt like it was exploding I dropped out of the air and slammed down with one knee down and one bent and my right fist punching the ground as if trying to keep me from going through Olympus. All the pain vanished.

A bright light surrounded me and I opened my eyes and stood up. The light. It was me.

Zeus looked slightly disgruntled by me being conscious, but his face cleared immediately. I turned and walked towards my throne. "I have some new business I would like to bring to the council's attention," I said looking at Zeus for permission to continue as I sat down next to Hades.

He nodded once as he made his way back to his throne.

"I notice that the men outnumber the women on the council now. I want to elect Hecate for a throne of her own to balance the scales, on the condition that she uses her powers to help shield Tartarus from outside help and for outsiders from being communicated by Tartarus residents, and the same for all other dangerous Titan prisoners, such as Typhon, at Hades' plans, discretion, and terms." I said clearly looking for Hecate in the wall of observers.

"See here boy!" Zeus seethed. "Hecate sided with the Titans in the battle that you just fought against. She does not deserve a throne here!"

"As I remember, she fought against the Titans besides you the first go around. And she only defected due to the lack of respect, consideration, and treatment she got from all of Olympus afterward, despite what it cost her to do so. If you think about it, it is kind of like what happened with the demigods. If she was treated like a member of Olympus or acknowledged as such, I would guarantee that she wouldn't have done so. The only enemies we have are the ones we make ourselves. Not all enemies have to be enemies, especially after they already proved themselves to be a friend and ally. Or they have already served their time you appointed and are still serving." I said calmly not looking at the floor, but at all the gods individually.

"I second the motion," Apollo said standing.

"As for my first official action, I vote for it and it is passed," I said standing as well.

As I sat down loud talks began all between council members, and much from the audience. I could feel my dad's gaze on me, but I couldn't bring myself to look at him. Or at Artemis, whom I could feel staring at me as if it would burn a hole through me.

Hecate came and stepped from the crowd and kneeled before Zeus. All conversations stopped. Zeus glared at me as I watched intently. Another rumble happened and a throne identical to mine popped up at the end of the ladies' row.

"May I pronounce our newest Council Member, Hecate." He said with a tight mouth. He banged his lightning rod against the cement floor and she rose. She stared at me as she walked to her throne with an unreadable expression. And before she sat, she turned and looked at Artemis and then Hades and nodded once to each of them.

I kept my mouth shut the remainder of the meeting. I didn't need to bring any more attention to myself, especially by Zeus. I felt mentally and physically drained. It took everything in me to not pass out on my throne and drool like a teenager who stayed up all night playing video games.

Before I knew it, Zeus adjourned the meeting and I stood stretching. I saw my dad, Artemis, Zeus, and Apollo all make their way towards me.

"Where to?" Hades whispered as he grabbed my upper arm.

"Apollo's temple." I said just as quietly.

I mumbled my thanks as I stumbled towards the water tank on the back wall. Uncle Hades stabilized me as I climbed up, fell in, and promptly passed out.

When I awoke there were several gods staring at me through the glass. I wanted to close my eyes and go back to sleep, but I didn't think it was going to happen.

I stood in the tank and leaned my arms on the edge and rested my chin on it waiting for the inevitable.

Thankfully, Apollo spoke up first. "I knew you wouldn't pass out. Thought you were going to on the throne there for a bit." He said with a grin. "But you made it through." He handed me a glass of Nectar and I drank it greedily. He took back the glass when I was done.

I looked at Artemis next to him, but when she didn't speak I looked at my Uncle Hades.

He stuck his hand out. "Congratulations Percy. Once you are feeling better we need to make arrangements and start our protections on Tartarus." Uncle Hades said.

"We?" I asked confused.

He gestured once towards the ring on my hand.

"Yes. Us." Hecate said as she uncrossed her arms and walked towards me. She placed a hand on the edge of the tank and gave me a light kiss. "Thank you, for believing in me."

I stepped back a little uncomfortable with her forwardness. I nodded once and looked at Artemis who was still standing there expressionlessly not speaking.

My dad didn't look too impressed though. He looked like he had a lot to say, and was waiting until we were alone.

"I see the points of further shielding Tartarus, but please tell me how Percy got mixed up in this." My dad said as steam started to come off his back.

'So not good,' I thought.

"Power of three." Hades started. "I had to choose three who would balance out. Hecate refused to even consider it if I was one. I chose Nico, Percy, and Thalia."

"One of each of our kids," Zeus said walking into the room. "Any specific reason why each of them?"

"Well brother, I knew you would be more willing to listen to reason if you knew that it wasn't just a way for me to undermine or usurp your authority," Hades said looking at the ceiling trying to reign in his emotions. While they are back in Tartarus I can feel it. Strongly. Our dear father isn't taking his defeat very well. And since I learned how Luke was being manipulated from quite a distance, I wanted to stop whatever magic he was using. However, Hecate here wasn't really willing to help after all that has happened."

Zeus barely glanced at Hecate before turning to me.

"And you knew of this plan?" Zeus questioned.

I glanced at Artemis and she nodded once imperceptively.

"It's for the best for Olympus," I said resolutely.

Zeus turned back towards Hades. "Why these three, and not any of other children?"

"Balance. Percy here has a heart of pure gold and unyielding moral compass. Nico is logical and strategic. And Thalia, she has the heart of a warrior. They all work well together given how they won the battle in their own ways. And they don't know how to give up. No matter how infuriating they can be at times. It is exactly what is needed." Uncle Hades answered.

'He actually complimented me. Aloud.' I thought.

"There seems to be a problem with your grouping. Percy is a god. Thalia is a hunter. Your son is merely a demigod." Zeus said with a pointed look.

"No, my son is now a harbinger of death." He corrected.

Zeus sighed. He scratched his forehead.

"I want someone there when the rituals are to take place," Zeus said not volunteering himself.

"I'll go father," Artemis said stepping forward.

"To the Underworld?" He asked for confirmation.

"Yes. I will do what needs to be done. Then, we will travel to the other powerful titans together afterward." She confirmed. "My hunters will act as our guard."

"This is a plan that needs to be enacted. Good foresight brother." Zeus said clapping Hades on the shoulder before he turned to leave. "Don't think I will forget this Perseus." He called out as he walked out of the temple.

"Perseus, god of horse dung," I said before I let myself slide back into the tank to the sound of their laughter.

...so...what do you think?


	13. A new home

Author's Note: Zeus is holding off on announcing Percy's position until he grows into his new powers, and deserves it as per the recommendation of a few gods. That is also why his throne is plain.

Dad had me get out of the tank once Zeus left so we could go join in on the festivities. He said we would deal with the shielding tomorrow. I followed him down the street and saw so many people. They were playing games, smoking pipes, and eating. The musical performers were taking the stage and I subconsciously made my way over waiting to watch them.

They started and slowly some Olympus' inhabitants began to dance to the slow, but joyous tune.

"Care to dance with me?" Hecate asked me.

"Yes, milady," I said bowing as I stuck out my hand. She took it and I led her out to into the crowd.

I didn't know what to say, and since she asked me I kept my mouth shut as I led us through the dance. She'd speak up when she wanted to.

"I'm sorry I sent those empousai on you." She said.

I nodded in my acceptance as I looked at her. "I understand why, as you understand why I had to dispatch them."

"I've been hearing really good things about you." Hecate continued. "Except from Circe that is," She said with a slight smile.

"She turned me into a guinea pig. I don't have any good things to say about her milady." I said tartly remembering my time on her island.

"Am I upsetting you?" She asked.

"I don't know where you are going with this," I said I as hesitated in the mood to look at her.

"You stood up to Zeus for me." She stated.

I nodded again not wanting to continue this conversation if she was going to play games, and I truly felt that was where this was leading.

"You do not know me, and you have shown me more kindness in the last few hours than I received from most of the Olympians in the last few millennia," Hecate stated.

"Most Olympians?" I questioned.

"Hades has always been nice, as has Persephone. Your father, he has been respectful, but never went out of his way to be nice or cruel. To most of them, I don't even exist. And that is even better than what Zeus bestowed and some of his faithful lackeys." She answered.

The song changed, but I didn't leave.

"I'm sorry. While I know there is more to the story on both sides, I don't know what to think. The time that I have known Olympians isn't as long as you have. I do know there are truly some good people and gods here." I told her thinking of Luke and how his anger shifted to Olympus. Would the war have even taken place if his dad came by once a month?

"Then why would you defend me?" She said as she stopped dancing.

"I trust Hades, Apollo, and Artemis. If they think this is, and you, is a good idea, then I want to give you a chance for myself. They haven't steered me wrong yet. And, you remind me of a friend I used to have." I said as I motioned for her to continue to dance.

"That is kind of you. It's been long since I had a clean slate. I can see why Hades had me make that ring for you. While all the three rings are similar in their properties, he had yours made special." She said as she continued to dance. "I'm glad it wasn't wasted."

"What does the ring do?" I asked.

"They are the rings the shields, borders, and enchantments will be tied to. All three have to agree on something for them to happen so the power isn't all in one person. Kind of like a trunk that requires three keys to open, or lock. I put some extra enchantments to aid you all at Hades' request. His son can see shadows with it, for protection. He can see when others are approaching, or watch what others are doing. He can keep an eye on what is going in each prison. It will also alert him to any potential jailbreaks or attempts." She told me.

"Yeah, he told me my mom was coming after watching the shadows play out on the walls," I said.

"Yes. Thalia's ring is more of a protection ring. It makes her more resistant to the gifts of the Titans and their pets. Hades was concerned that if something happened to her Zeus would think it was all a ploy. It also stores some of her powers when she isn't using them, and she can call upon the extra strength in her time of need." Hecate continued.

"And mine?" I asked.

"Hades made that into a master key of sorts of the Underworld. It put you on the same level as his lieutenant in case you need to call additional aid down there and ensure your safety. Nico's has that as well. But yours, he put mental shields into it to keep your thoughts your own. While you have what he calls, a golden compass of morals, he felt that it should never diminish. He wanted to preserve it. You will also know where Nico and Thalia are at, and be able to communicate with them as their leader. And…" Hecate was telling me before she was interrupted.

"May I cut in?" Artemis said with expressionlessly.

"I'll see you later?" Hecate said with amusement.

"I look forward to it milady," I said honestly hoping to finish that conversation.

'Such a cliffhanger,' I thought.

Artemis stepped up and I took her hand in mine and placed it lightly on her hip unsure of myself all of a sudden.

"Are you nervous?" She asked with a grin.

"I feel as if I am passing some imaginary border," I said sheepishly.

"A maiden does not mean one cannot be touched during a dance." She chuckled as she tugged my hand a bit to get me into action.

"So, another adventure together?" I asked unsure of what to say.

"It seems that way. It is quite exciting. We should have done this a few millennia ago." Artemis told me.

"Look Artemis, about last night," I said.

"No, wait Percy. I didn't mean to make you feel as if I was belittling what happened with Zoe. You are my friend. It's just I thought. I thought. I thought since you and Zoe never crossed that line that you would be more like Hippolytos after all that. I thought, well, I hoped that you would continue to be my companion." She said looking away from me.

"To hold vows of celibacy together?" I questioned. "With no romantic feelings?"

She nodded once she finally looked at me.

"You are my friend Artemis. And I will always be your friend, regardless of our sexual decisions. I wish that applied to you too. Especially after all the trouble, you went through for me. I didn't think my lack of virginity would cause you to change your mind." I confessed.

"It didn't. It's just…complicated." Artemis said.

"Well, uncomplicated it for me, because I don't understand and now I don't know where we stand with each other," I told her.

"Follow me." She said taking my hand and led me off the dance floor and down the street.

She was silent while she took us to a quiet park on the other side of Olympus. It was beautiful. We were at the edge of Olympus. I could see the clear night sky and I watched it fall away into nothingness. It was as if nothing existed below Olympus. She sat in the green grass facing the edge. I followed suit and sat a couple feet away.

"My father cheated on Hera with my mother, Leto. And as I grew, I saw that was commonplace among the Gods. There is a reason why so many goddesses elected to be eternal maidens. The pain that those wives, including your stepmother, is immense. And I vowed myself to never know that pain. And when I saw how you were Zoe, and then later with me, it kind of made me jealous." She confessed. "I can tell you would never have treated Zoe like that. And I know that Aphrodite has seen your true love, but I thought I would have more time with you before it happened."

"So, because I'm not a virgin I can't have your friendship anymore?" I asked trying to understand.

"I didn't say that. But, I thought things would be easier. Once you have sex you will want it again." She said looking at the star form of Zoe.

"Just because I had sex once doesn't mean that I am going to run off and start doing it with everybody. I am not Zeus, and I'm not my dad." I said taking her hand.

"What was it like?" She whispered looking at me.

"It was beautiful. It was as if all the love we shared with each other was dancing together in a dance of our own making. And it felt incredible. And I want to feel that again. Not just the sex, but the emotional dance." I said squeezing her hand once.

"I don't think you are like Zeus or Poseidon." She said letting my hand go and standing up. "Come, friend, we shouldn't disappear for too long."

We made our way back to the festivities and it was truly a sight to behold. My dad was drinking something with Zeus and they were laughing together. Hades stood awkwardly next to them but smiled when my dad passed the jug to him. I raised my hand in hello when I caught his gaze. He raised the jug to me and then took a drink.

The party didn't end until the sun came up and my father came to take me to my new home. First, we stopped and got my hunters bag from Apollo's temple though. Before I knew it, I was under the water deep down in the ocean.

"Why didn't Amphitrite come to the solstice?" I asked as we were walking towards a huge palace.

"Like Hades said about Tartarus, we are still battling Oceanus here. He hasn't been as aggressive as he was, but the bars are still shaking if you know what I mean. But, since Hades will get his way, hopefully, this will be a thing of the past." He said as he gestured me into the palace where a woman was waiting at the front door.

"Amphitrite," He said as he leaned to kiss her cheek.

She smiled at him and gave me an evil leer.

"Amphitrite," My dad said firmly.

She looked at him seething. "Triton _is_ your lieutenant."

"And so is Percy. Besides, Percy is going to be embarking on a mission for Olympus soon. Remember, they are both my sons and will be treated equally." He said with steam coming off of him.

She deflated quickly. "I understand my Lord."

"Come, let's get Perseus settled in." He said putting his arm around her and led us towards the family rooms.

Dad led us through multiple hallways, but it didn't seem very homey until we got to the east wing. He passed multiple doors until we came to the end of the hall.

"This here is the doorway to Triton's quarters." He said gesturing to the left. "Amphitrite and mine are straight ahead, and to the right here is yours. You better get some sleep. A servant will be by later with some food. You'll hear the conch in the morning. That is when you will get up and get ready. Triton will be waiting here in the hallway to lead you to breakfast. After we eat I will take you on a tour so keep your bag packed, and when the moon is full we will be heading to the Underworld to meet up with Hades, Hecate, and Artemis."

"Thanks, dad," I said shouldering my bag awkwardly.

"Good night son." He said grabbing my arm to lean me forward. He pressed his forehead against mine. "I'm really proud of you." Afterwards, he pulled away and took Amphitrite into their quarters.

I walked into mine and was shocked by what I saw. The room was definitely made for royalty, and was definitely underwater themed. It was unreal. My bed was an oversized clamshell. There were a few doors on the one wall, but all I could see was the bed. I lifted the blanket to see if there was a mattress, but it was weaved seaweed about a foot deep. I took off my armor and put it all in my Hunters bag knowing I'd be leaving in the morning. Until then, I would sleep.

I was awoken sometime later in the day by a servant with a food tray. It was kind of weird because the dolphin stood there and watched while I ate.

"Am I missing something?" I asked.

"I am here to make sure you don't need anything before you go back to sleep. Your father was very adamant that you get your rest." He said sternly.

I rolled my eyes. I'm a god and I still have a bedtime. I handed back my plate. "Thank you. It was very good." I told him.

"I'm glad young master is pleased." He said still watching as I lay back down and covered up.

You could not miss the conch shell I heard being blown in the morning. I grabbed my bags and made my way to the doors until I found the bathroom. I cleaned up and I noticed that there was clean tunic folded on the counter next to the sink. I shook my head and got ready. I didn't know how long I had until my other brother would meet me, but I didn't want him to wait. Unfortunately, he was, and he didn't look too happy to see me.

"Triton?" I asked, just to be sure.

He was leaning on the wall, but stood up and rolled his eyes off of me.

"I'm glad to meet you," I said sticking out my hand to shake.

He didn't take the gesture, but rose his two eyebrows as saying, "Really?"

"Look Triton, I'm not here to step on your toes. I know you are older than I and know the ocean better than I will ever. I know you are the main lieutenant, despite what our uncle says, and I know you are the heir. But maybe, one day, I can call you brother like I call Tyson." I told him bluntly trying to get the awkwardness over and done with.

He stood there in silence as if examining the truth in me. After a few moments, he nodded once. "I am Triton. If half of what Tyson says is true, then I would be glad to have you as a brother. But if not, my trident works on gods." He said before turning and walked down the hall.

Triton led us down to a dining room where he left a space in between him and my father, who was seated at the head, on the right side of the table.

"Is that where you normally sit Triton?" I asked.

He shook his head no but didn't look at me or our father.

"Then please, take your normal seat. I don't want any special treatment." I said. My dad smiled a bit at Amphitrite who looked shocked.

I took Triton's warm seat as he moved back over next to our dad.

"So, what's for breakfast?" I asked breaking the silence.

"I ordered a special breakfast for you on your first day," Amphitrite said a bit sheepishly.

I didn't understand the expression until I saw an array of off the wall foods that I couldn't name, let alone know how to eat.

Triton tried to hide his smile and trying not to laugh, but a few chuckles escaped.

"Looks great," I said with a grin at my welcoming.

What was meant to be an asinine move, ended up being a funny bonding moment between the four of us. They showed me what each thing was and how to eat it. A lot of it was actually a form of underwater fruits and vegetables. I got to crack them on the table and eat what was on the inside. A few times I was a bit overzealous and the juices on the inside shot out at me. I think I'm going to like my new family.

"So tell me about this tour." I said to my dad as I cracked open another sweet fruit.

"We will load up with a few guards and show you the layout of the land and where we keep the Titans." He said.

"Is Triton going with us?" I asked when Triton stayed as still as a building.

"No why?" He asked.

"Oh. I thought he would be coming too." I said a bit disappointed.

"I can manage the ropes." Amphitrite offered.

"Do you want to go Triton?" My dad asked.

"Yes my lord." He said with a slight bow of his head.

"Okay, let's change the plans up a bit then. I will take Percy down to the training fields, and then we will all meet up here for lunch, and then we will depart." My dad said emphasizing with his trident shaped fork.

'Wait, I was supposed to be using a fork?' I thought looking down and saw mine. 'Do'h!'

I picked up the fork and began to scrape the inside of the fruit. I looked at Amphitrite a bit ruefully to her amused smile.

"Yes sir." Triton said a bit more happily than before.


End file.
